Racial disparities in training, pay-raise attainment, and income

Data from the 2001 to 2002 California Workforce Survey are used to assess statistical discrimination and social-closure theories in explaining racial disparities in crucial labor outcomes. The results are mixed. Racial differences between minority groups and whites appear in three crucial labor outcomes: training attainment, pay raises, and income. In particular, compared with white workers, Hispanics are less likely to obtain employer-paid job training, blacks are less likely to receive pay raises, and receive lower income. In-depth statistical analyses are conducted to identify the roots of those inequalities. The conclusion summarizes major findings and discusses their implications for future studies in ascriptive inequalities.