The impact of occupational structures on ethnic and gendered employment gaps: An event history analysis using social security register data.

Stefan Vogtenhuber,Nadia Steiber,Bernhard Kittel,Monika Mühlböck,Joshua L Rosenbloom

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0250398

Stefan Vogtenhuber, Nadia Steiber + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0250398

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Abstract

Ethnic and gendered employment gaps are mainly explained by individual characteristics, while less attention is paid to occupational structures. Drawing on administrative data, this article analyses the impact of occupational characteristics on top of individual attributes in the urban labour market of Vienna. Both set of variables can explain observed employment gaps to a large extent, but persistent gaps remain, in particular among females. The article's main finding is that the occupational structure appears to have gendered effects. While men tend to benefit from ethnic segregation, women face difficulties when looking for jobs with high shares of immigrant workers. Looking for jobs in occupations that recruit from relatively few educational backgrounds (credentials) is beneficial for both sexes at the outset unemployment, but among females this competitive advantage diminishes over time. The article concludes by discussing potential strategies to avoid the traps of occupational segregation.

Highlights

Employment gaps between newcomers to Western labour markets and their resident populations are well-established
The explanation of employment gaps has focused on individual human capital characteristics [for a review see 2], while less attention has been paid to structural factors embedded in labour market institutions
The impact of occupational structures on ethnic and gendered employment gaps workers have largely abandoned the jobs increasingly held by immigrants, the first diversity argument is likely insignificant in explaining aggregate labour market outcomes, while the second one has much more relevance because occupations predominantly held by natives do offer better employment prospects

Summary

Introduction

Employment gaps between newcomers to Western labour markets and their resident populations are well-established. The data allows us to monitor their employment trajectories while at the same time accounting for a host of individual characteristics relevant to job search and labour market placement, including education, prior work experience, immigration status and nationality of origin.

Results

Conclusion