| NSF Org: |
SES Division of Social and Economic Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 7, 2019 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 7, 2019 |
| Award Number: | 1920714 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
reginald sheehan
SES Division of Social and Economic Sciences SBE Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences |
| Start Date: | July 1, 2019 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2021 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $24,353.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $24,353.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1 PROSPECT ST PROVIDENCE RI US 02912-9100 (401)863-2777 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
Box 1929 Providence RI US 02912-9002 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | LSS-Law And Social Sciences |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.075 |
ABSTRACT
Millions of U.S. college graduates, who arrived in the country as young children, face restricted access to employment. A growing share of the population may therefore be highly-trained but under-employed. However, there is scant evidence evaluating whether, how, and why employers screen higher-educated job seekers for employment with respect to applicants' immigration status. This project tests the simultaneous effects of several variables, such as immigration status and ethno-racial identity, on college graduates' employment opportunities. It also evaluates whether employers' perceptions of job applicants, as well as employers' interpretation of applicable laws, help explain employers' decisions. This project provides insights into creating a better match in resources between the U.S. educational system and the labor market.
This project consists of a field experiment and a survey experiment. In the field experiment, hypothetical resumes of college graduates are submitted online to real job postings in eight large cities. Differences in callback rates are calculated across five applicants, who are matched in all but a small number of critical respects (e.g., immigration status, ethno-racial identity). In the survey experiment, the same hypothetical resumes are shown to a national sample of employers. In addition to answering which applicant they would callback for an interview, employers also answer questions addressing their perceptions of the applicants and their knowledge of relevant laws. Employers' answers to these questions will be analyzed to determine whether they help explain differences in callback rates. This project advances theoretical understanding of whether and how laws shape the production of inequality among a growing share of the higher-educated population. It also makes theoretical contributions to the fields of law and society and inequality.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
During the course of this award, a field experiment, survey experiment, and in-depth interviews were conducted. In the field experiment, hypothetical resumes were submitted to 1,364 jobs online in eight large metropolitan areas. The resumes were matched on all relevant characteristics except for their nativity and immigration status, and then differences in callback rates across the hypothetical applicants were calculated. In the survey experiment, a national sample of 1,515 employers received the same hypothetical resumes. In addition to answering questions about hiring, they also answered demographic and firm-level characteristics questions, as well as questions about the barriers to hiring college-educated immigrants. Finally, in-depth interviews were conducted with 47 employers, lawyers, and immigrant service providers. Interview respondents were asked about the primary barriers to hiring immigrant college graduates. These data were used to write two conference papers, which were presented at the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association and the Population Association of America. The primary outcome of the project, a doctoral dissertation, is defended and expected to be conferred in October, 2021.
This project contributes to the literature on immigrant integration by focusing on the mediating role of employer behavior. This project also brings new evidence to longstanding debates on the role of laws on socioeconomic inequality. Finally, this project brings new theorizing to bear on the study of discrimination, which has largely focused on individual attitudes to explain employer behavior. In the case of immigration, employers also make decisions within organizations, which are tied by laws governing their activities. As such, this study also enriches the law and organizations literature by theorizing the relationship between laws, organizational behavior, and stratification more generally. Ultimately, this project should be of interest to academics, policy makers, employers, and the general public.
Last Modified: 08/02/2021
Modified by: Anna N Kreisberg
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