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Workplace Discrimination

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Commentary
Laid Off More, Hired Less: Black Workers in the COVID-19 Recession
As the U.S. economy tries to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are adding workers to their teams, yet one group is being picked last: Black workers. Getting back into a job later could do lasting harm to millions of Black Americans' incomes and wealth accumulation for years.
Sep 29, 2020
Report
Women in Egypt Face Barriers to Employment
Large gains in educational attainment among women in Egypt have not been matched with gains in the workplace. Obstacles preventing them from securing employment include tensions between work and family responsibilities, lack of mobility, wage gaps, and fear of sexual harassment.
Apr 21, 2020

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Commentary
An Autistic Soldier Wants You to Read This
Despite the recruitment challenges it is currently facing, the Army continues to make personnel decisions based on last century's understanding of neurodivergent diagnoses. The loosening of stigma associated with these diagnoses could improve recruitment, and the Army might reap the benefits of neurodiversity.
Jun 1, 2023
Report
Neurodiversity and National Security: How to Tackle National Security Challenges with a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents
This report provides research and analysis for national security managers and employees who seek to better understand neurodivergence and neurodiversity and desire simple steps to achieve neurodiverse inclusivity for national security workplaces.
Mar 27, 2023
Research Brief
Why National Security Needs Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity, like other forms of diversity, can strengthen an organization. Members of the neurodivergent population have skills that can be beneficial in many fields of interest to national security. These include pattern recognition, problem-solving, visualization, and memory.
Mar 27, 2023
Report
The U.S. Air Force Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Values on Social Media: A Proof-of-Concept Examination of How Air Force–Affiliated Accounts Represent the Service Online
This report presents a proof-of-concept to assess the online behavior of U.S. Air Force (USAF)-affiliated users over social media, specifically in regard to USAF diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
Feb 22, 2023
News Release
Fewer FEMA Employees Experienced Workplace Harassment or Discrimination in 2021 than 2019; More Progress Needed
The risk of FEMA employees experiencing harassment or discrimination in 2021 was significantly less than in 2019, but one in five employees still experienced at least one civil rights violation during the preceding year.
Aug 24, 2022
Report
Harassment and Discrimination at FEMA Is Declining, but More Progress Is Needed
About one in five FEMA employees surveyed experienced at least one gender-based/sexual or race/ethnicity–based civil rights violation in the past year. This is an improvement since 2019, but how can FEMA further its efforts to develop and maintain a workplace in which all employees are treated with professionalism and respect?
Aug 24, 2022
Report
Assessing the Potential for Racial Bias in the Security Clearance Process
In this exploratory report, the authors consider the security clearance process through the lens of racial justice. They identify areas where bias might contribute to the underrepresentation of Black Americans in the national security workforce.
Aug 15, 2022
Report
Harmful Interpersonal Behaviors in the Department of the Air Force: Informing Prevention and Response
This Perspective describes and applies a conceptual model of prevention to such harmful behaviors as sexual harassment, sexual assault, racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination, hazing, and domestic abuse in the Department of the Air Force.
Apr 20, 2022
Testimony
Harassment and Discrimination on the Basis of Gender and Race/Ethnicity in the Federal Emergency Management Agency Workforce: Addendum
Document submitted March 3, 2022, as an addendum to testimony before the Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability on January 20, 2022.
Mar 3, 2022
Testimony
Harassment and Discrimination in the FEMA Workforce
Changing organizational culture and climate is no easy task. As the result of an employee survey, FEMA now has an estimate of the prevalence of harassment and discrimination based on sex/gender and race/ethnicity. This data can serve as a yardstick against which to measure change efforts.
Jan 20, 2022
Journal Article
Bias in the Legal Profession: Self-Assessed Versus Statistical Measures of Discrimination
This article uses data from the After the J.D. study to compare standard Blinder-Oaxaca measures of earnings discrimination to self-reported measures of client discrimination, other work-related discrimination, and harassment.
Dec 11, 2020
News Release
Survey Estimates More Than 1 in 4 FEMA Workers Experienced Civil Rights Violations
About 29% of employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency experienced a sex- or race/ethnicity-based civil rights violation in the past year, according to research undertaken by the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC), a federally funded research and development center operated by the RAND Corporation under contract with the Department of Homeland Security.
Dec 2, 2020
Research Brief
Harassment and Discrimination in the FEMA Workplace
A survey of FEMA personnel found that 29 percent of employees experienced a sex- or race/ethnicity–based civil rights violation in the past year. The survey results reveal areas in need of improvement and will help guide FEMA leadership decisions about programming and policy responses.
Dec 2, 2020
Report
Harassment and Discrimination on the Basis of Gender and Race/Ethnicity in the FEMA Workforce
Researchers assessed the prevalence and characteristics of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, racial/ethnic harassment, and racial/ethnic discrimination at FEMA. This report documents the survey results.
Dec 2, 2020
Blog
Drug Prices, China, Workplace Harassment: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on U.S. prescription drug prices, how not to confront China, sexual harassment in today's workplace, and more.
Sep 27, 2019
Q&A
Sexual Harassment in Today's Rapidly Changing Workplace
Carra Sims, a senior behavioral and social scientist, has studied sexual harassment in the workplace for over a decade. In this Q&A, she discusses the changes that have taken place in recent years and the issue of accountability in matrixed organizations and in the gig economy.
Sep 23, 2019
Report
Addressing the Challenges of Algorithmic Equity
Social institutions increasingly use algorithms for decisionmaking purposes. How do different perspectives on equity or fairness inform the use of algorithms in the context of auto insurance pricing, job recruitment, and criminal justice?
Jul 11, 2019
Commentary
Berlin Protests Highlight Need for Sound Employment Discrimination Laws in Germany
Germany has a legal tradition and a strong constitution that promotes equality for all those living within its borders. That tradition could end up being a factor as German policymakers consider whether it is advantageous for the nation as a whole that the newest members of its society should have the necessary legal protections to succeed socially and economically.
Nov 15, 2018
Journal Article
Gender and Physician Specialization and Practice Settings in Ecuador: A Qualitative Study
More women than men are now doctors in Ecuador, but gender norms still exert strong influence on female physicians' choice of specialty and practice setting.
Dec 8, 2016

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Workplace Discrimination

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

David Schulker

Senior Policy Researcher

David Schulker is a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. His research uses econometric and statistical techniques to analyze defense recruiting and career progression, with some additional work on topics involving education, military spouses and veterans. Much of Schulker's work is…
Maria C. Lytell

Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist

Maria Lytell is a senior behavioral and social scientist at the RAND Corporation. Her work focuses on military personnel topics with recent examples including diversity, equity, and inclusion in the military, digital talent needs for the Department of Air Force, and staffing requirements for…

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