The Human Resources department at a firm has two job candidates for one position. Both candidates went to the same college, took the same classes and have the same academic record. They both performed well in the interview and said that they see the job as a long-term position. One applicant is male; the other is female. Historically within the firm, women quit their jobs at higher rates than do men. Because of this, the firm fills the position with the male candidate. What kind of discrimination is this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of statistical discrimination, which occurs when assumptions are made about an individual based on characteristics of a larger group to which they belong. Here, the firm is making the assumption that the female candidate is more likely to quit based on historical data about women in the company. This assumption may not be accurate for this particular individual, but it is being used to make a hiring decision.

The Human Resources Department at a Firm Has Two Job