Labor Market Polarization, Occupational Composition, and the Hispanic Underemployment Disadvantage: The Case of Involuntary Part-Time Work

• In Event: 256 - Section on Organizations, Occupations and Work Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 08. Job Insecurity and Precarious Employment III

Abstract

Many have documented persistently high unemployment in the wake of the “Great Recession.” Less appreciated is the recession’s lasting impact on the level of labor force attachment. In this paper, we consider involuntary part-time work over time and highlight a growing disadvantage in involuntary part-time work among Hispanics, most evident during and after the recent recession. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we trace the growing disadvantage in involuntary part-time work and use logistic regression models to answer several questions about this form of underemployment. We find that, in 1971, disparities between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white workers could be explained by human capital. In 2013, however, this is true only of US-born Hispanics. We also highlight the role of job skill and occupational composition in perpetuating underemployment across nativity and citizenship in today’s increasingly stratified labor market. Logistic regression models suggest that involuntary part-time work is most prevalent among foreign-born Hispanics, especially non-citizens, and those working in occupations where Hispanic and black workers are overrepresented. We discuss the implications of this emerging disadvantage in light of policy changes, the diversification of the US workforce, and increasing labor market polarization.

Authors

• Justin R. Young, University of New Hampshire

• Marybeth J. Mattingly, University of New Hampshire