Race and Job Dismissal

Abstract

This study combines data from 8 years (1991 to 1997 and 1999) of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to assess predictions from the compositional and particularistic perspectives concerning the determinants of job dismissal among African American and White males during 3 years of the early work career. The findings from logistic regression analyses provide most support for the particularistic perspective. Specifically, dismissal for African Americans, relative to Whites, is widespread. Compared to Whites, African Americans are susceptible to dismissal across categories of traditional stratification-based causal factors—namely, human capital credentials (e.g., education, job absences), background socioeconomic status, and job/labor market characteristics (e.g., union status, economic sector, industry). In addition, analyses indicate that particularism as a determinant of dismissal is more pronounced in working-class than middle-class occupations.