Diskrimineringsledighet

Diskrimineringsledighet is a term used in labor market research to describe unemployment that arises specifically because of discrimination in the recruitment and employment process. It refers to situations where individuals belonging to certain groups—such as based on gender, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, or sexual orientation—face lower chances of being hired, longer job searches, or reduced prospects for re-employment compared with equally qualified peers in the same labor market. The concept is distinct from unemployment caused by general macroeconomic conditions, although multiple factors often interact.

Causes and measurement: Discrimination can operate at the hiring stage through explicit bias in applications, biased evaluation of qualifications, or unequal access to networks and information. Discriminatory effects may also occur in promotions, training, and wage setting. Researchers measure diskrimineringen using audit or field experiments, wage or employment gaps controlled for observed characteristics, and survey data. Because discrimination is typically hidden, measurement requires careful design and sometimes indirect evidence.

Implications and policy responses: Diskrimineringsledighet carries personal costs for earnings and career development, and societal costs in terms of underutilized labor and increased inequality. Policy responses include robust anti-discrimination legislation with enforcement, transparency in hiring, monitoring of labor market outcomes by group, and active measures such as targeted job matching, training, and subsidies to reduce barriers for protected groups.

Relation to broader unemployment: In many contexts diskrimineringledighet is analyzed as a component of total unemployment rather than a separate category. Identifying it relies on controlled comparisons and experimental evidence rather than self-reported reasons for unemployment.