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Sick and tell: A field experiment analyzing the effects of an illness-related employment gap on the callback rate

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  • Namingit, Sheryll
  • Blankenau, William
  • Schwab, Benjamin

Abstract

Using a randomized audit study design, we find that the job callback rate for applicants with a long, illness-related employment gap caused by cancer is lower than that of the newly unemployed but significantly higher than those whose employment gap is unexplained. Our results suggest that a credible explanation of an employment gap can substantially reduce its scarring effect and that workers with a previous illness do not face a uniquely large rehiring penalty. While previous research shows that jobless spells reduce employment prospects, our results and model provide new insight into the signalling process underlying those findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Namingit, Sheryll & Blankenau, William & Schwab, Benjamin, 2021. "Sick and tell: A field experiment analyzing the effects of an illness-related employment gap on the callback rate," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 865-882.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:185:y:2021:i:c:p:865-882
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2020.09.033
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    Cited by:

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    2. Amanda Gaulke, 2021. "Individual and family labor market impacts of chronic diseases," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 482-482, January.
    3. Van Borm, Hannah & Baert, Stijn, 2022. "Diving in the minds of recruiters: What triggers gender stereotypes in hiring?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1083, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    4. Antinyan, Armenak & Burn, Ian & Jones, Melanie K., 2024. "Productivity Signals and Disability-Related Hiring Discrimination: Evidence from a Field Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 17290, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Ariella S. Kristal & Leonie Nicks & Jamie L. Gloor & Oliver P. Hauser, 2023. "Reducing discrimination against job seekers with and without employment gaps," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(2), pages 211-218, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unemployment scarring; Employment gap; Correspondence study;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General

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