Statistical Discrimination and the Implication of Employer-Employee Racial Matches

Abstract

In this paper, I test the empirical validity of a statistical discrimination model that incorporates employer’s race. I argue that if an employer statistically discriminates less against an employee that shares the same race (matched) than an employee who does not share the same race (mismatched), then the correlation between the employee’s wage and his skill level (AFQT) is stronger for a matched employee than for a mismatched employee. Using data from the NLSY97, which includes information about the racial background of employees and their supervisors, I find evidence that is consistent with a statistical discrimination model for young male employees.