Name of Report: Jobs & Race: Innovations in workforce development for minority job seekers and employers
Organizational affiliation: The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Publisher: Annie E. Casey Foundation
Contact Information: Robert Giloth, Jobs Initiative Manager; Annie E. Casey Foundation; 701 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202; Phone: 410-223-2908; bob@aecf.org
Date: 2001
Pages: 24 pages
Content Summary
The report outlines the reasons behind the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Jobs Initiative, which is dedicated to a number of projects regarding employer engagement and job retention in the labor market. In particular, the report addresses minority disparities in hiring and wages and employer hesitation towards minority workers. The Jobs Initiative seeks to overcome the barriers between minority workers and employers.
Major Findings
There is a disparity between the rates of unemployment for Black males. For Black males who have dropped out of high school the percentage of unemployment is 17% but for their White counterparts it is 7.5%. Most employers attribute this to a difference in “soft skills” which is defined as the capacity to interact properly in the workplace, i.e. dress, communication style, and level motivation. But because “soft skills” are subjective and vary throughout industries, it is an easy way to discriminate against those who “don’t fit in”, i.e. minority workers. The report found in separate survey approximately one in four employers discriminated against Black applicants and Latino jobs seekers were discriminated against 22 percent of the time. Also when Blacks and White were offered the same job, 20% of Whites started at a higher wage. Ultimately, the report is looking at these findings to access the best way to implement the Jobs Initiatives Program.
Related Issues
The report focused mostly on plans for the Jobs Initiatives Program and did not give much information on the seriousness of job disparities. It was also very general and focused mainly on the Black and Latino community’s, there is no mention of Native Americans or Asians or any ethnic data. The report is mainly good for general data and statistics.
How to Access Report:
Robert Giloth, Jobs Initiative Manager; Annie E. Casey Foundation; 701 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202; Phone: 410-223-2908