Many firms include on their employment applications a box that job seekers are asked to check if

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Many firms include on their employment applications a box that job seekers are asked to check if they have ever been convicted of a crime. Some firms automatically reject applicants who check the box. As a result, some people with criminal convictions have difficulty finding a job, which may increase the likelihood that they will commit another crime. Some states and cities have enacted “ban the box” legislation that forbids firms from asking about criminal histories on job applications, although typically the firms are allowed to ask such questions in job interviews. A study by Jennifer L. Doleac of Texas A&M University and Benjamin Hansen of the University of Oregon found that ban-the-box legislation significantly reduces the probability of employment among young male African American job applicants. The economists noted that ban-the-box legislation “does not address employers’ concerns about hiring those with criminal records, and so could increase discrimination against groups that are more likely to include recently-incarcerated ex-offenders.” Briefly explain why this result might have occurred. Relate your answer to the reasons firms might be more likely to interview an applicant with a white-sounding name even if the applicant’s résumé was identical to that of an applicant with a black-sounding name.

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Microeconomics

ISBN: 9780135952955

8th Edition

Authors: Glenn Hubbard, Anthony Patrick O Brien

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