Intermittent Labor Force Participation as a Source of Discrimination?: The Negative Consequences of Employment Lapses

• In Event: 307 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Paper Session. Family, Work, and Gender

Abstract

Most men and women in America have experienced a lapse in labor force participation at some point in their careers, for a number of reasons: unemployment, the decision to “opt out” of work to care for children or one’s family, and more. This paper asks the question of how lapses in employment, for various reasons, influence individuals’ labor market re-entry processes. Do the reasons behind employment lapses differ in eventual labor market outcomes, such as wages and hiring? Furthermore, given that mothers are particularly likely to partake in leave for family, how do these effects vary by gender? Using an audit study of employers and an original survey experiment, I find that perceptions toward those with employment lapses vary by gender and type of lapse, and those with a gap in employment tend to be disadvantaged relative to those with no lapse in employment. Findings suggest that mothers are disadvantaged when experiencing an employment break no matter the reason, as are fathers who “opt out,” but unemployed fathers do not face the same disadvantage. The results suggest that certain groups of workers, who face discriminatory attitudes, could be disadvantaged in real labor market settings when trying to regain a job. The study adds to our understanding of gender inequality in the labor market, and of the effects of intermittent labor force participation on subsequent career outcomes.

Author

• Katherine Weisshaar, Stanford University