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Picture This: Social Distance and the Mistreatment of Migrant Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Toman Barsbai
  • Vojtěch Bartoš
  • Victoria Licuanan
  • Andreas Steinmayr
  • Erwin Tiongson
  • Dean Yang

Abstract

We experimentally study an intervention to reduce mistreatment of Filipino overseas domestic workers (DWs) by their employers. Encouraging DWs to show their employers a family photo while providing a small gift when starting employment reduced DW mistreatment, increased their job satisfaction, and increased the likelihood of contract extension. While generally unaware of the intervention, DWs’ families staying behind become more positive about international labor migration. An online experiment with potential employers suggests that the effect operates through a reduction in employers’ perceived social distance from their employees.
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Suggested Citation

  • Toman Barsbai & Vojtěch Bartoš & Victoria Licuanan & Andreas Steinmayr & Erwin Tiongson & Dean Yang, 2022. "Picture This: Social Distance and the Mistreatment of Migrant Workers," Working Papers 2022-17, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, Universität Innsbruck.
    • Handle: RePEc:inn:wpaper:2022-17
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    Cited by:

    1. Dalmazzo, Alberto & Leombruni, Roberto & Razzolini, Tiziano, 2023. "Anticipation Effects of EU Accession on Immigrants' Labour Market Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 16614, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    temporary labor migration; working conditions; contract enforcement; dictator game;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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