The Where and Why of Sticky Floors in Swiss Social Institutions

In this paper, we examine under what circumstances there is ethnic discrimination in non-entry jobs in the social domain in Switzerland and exploring possible mechanisms at the origin of discrimination. Methods: HR managers completed a series of online vignette experiments (N=379 complete observations); the results of the vignette experiments were submitted to a panel of responding HR in two focus groups. Results: Both foreign education and foreign origin can be reasons for sticky floors, with place of education often dominant. The stated likelihood to invite job candidates for an interview, however, varies clearly on the specific job considered and on the regional context. The focus group interviews reveal that both foreign education and foreign origin are consciously used as proxies for unmeasured qualifications like having a local network. There is evidence of statistical discrimination and salience of political context. The HR managers in the focus group interviews do not appear to be aware of the costs of discrimination. Conclusion: HR managers react differently to foreign origin and foreign education depending on the job considered. This suggests that we should thus be careful how we generalize (experimental) evidence of discrimination.