Series
Upjohn Institute working paper ; 21-353
DOI
10.17848/wp21-353
Issue Date
October 2021
Abstract
Regulatory agencies overseeing the labor market often rely on worker complaints to direct their enforcement. However, if workers face differential barriers to complain, this system could result in ineffective targeting and create disparities in working conditions. To investigate these implications, we examine how the onset of Secure Communities—a localized immigration enforcement program—affected occupational safety and health. Counties’ participation in Secure Communities substantially reduced complaints to government safety regulators, but increased injuries, at workplaces with Hispanic workers. We show that these effects are most consistent with employers reducing safety inputs in response to workers’ decreased willingness to complain.
Subject Areas
LABOR MARKET ISSUES; INTERNATIONAL ISSUES; Immigration
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Citation
Grittner, Amanda M. and Matthew S. Johnson. 2021. "When Labor Enforcement and Immigration Enforcement Collide: Deterring Worker Complaints Worsens Workplace Safety." Upjohn Institute Working Paper 21-353. Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. https://doi.org/10.17848/wp21-353