Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP9179
Authors: Eleonora Patacchini; Giuseppe Ragusa; Yves Zenou
Abstract: We study labor-market discrimination of individuals with specific characteristics in Italy. We conduct a field experiment in two Italian cities: Rome and Milan, by sending fake CVs to real ads. We find that there is a strong penalty for homosexuals, i.e. about 30% less chance to be called back compared to an heterosexual male and even more so if they are highly skilled. On the other hand, we find no penalty for homosexual females. We also find a beauty premium for females only but this premium is much lower when the "pretty" woman is skilled.
Keywords: discrimination; field experiment; gays and lesbians
JEL Codes: I10; J16; J71
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| high-skilled attractive women (J44) | lower callback rates (L96) |
| penalty for homosexual males (K40) | increases with perceived skill level (J24) |
| homosexual males (J16) | lower callback rates (L96) |
| sexual orientation (J71) | callback rates (E52) |
| homosexual females (J16) | callback rates (E52) |
| beauty (Y60) | hiring outcomes (M51) |