Hispanics immigrants on the fields: Is discrimination a barrier to get non-agricultural jobs?

Abstract

This research presents evidence supporting the existence of differences in treatments received by Hispanics job-seekers on agricultural and non-agricultural labor markets found through an experimental labor market. Hispanics males? productivity predicted by agricultural employers was higher than the predicted by non-agricultural employers, suggesting that Hispanics males are believed to fit better in agricultural activities. This may imply an invisible barrier preventing Hispanics to access non-agricultural jobs. Employers? beliefs reactions to a more informative signal related to productivity sent to the labor market were tested. Hispanic job-seekers? signals did not significantly reduce the gap between agricultural and non-agricultural employers? beliefs; suggesting that this invisible barrier may also prevent Hispanic males mobility from agricultural to non-agricultural jobs over time, reducing the incentive to invest in costly signals? improvement (i.e. education, reputation). Results also support the existence of a non-neutral gender barrier, given no differences in treatments where found for female Hispanics.