The burdens of job history: occupational tenure, race and unemployment duration

Thesis (M.A., Economics) -- California State University, Sacramento, 2010.There is a persistent gap in the durations of unemployment between races in the U.S. labor market. This paper examines one possible explanation for that gap, differences in job history and human capital acquired on the job. Specific human capital can lead to a mismatch between offers and expectations that can lead to a longer unemployment spell. It is found that the number of jobs reduces the length of unemployment, while the length of the most recent tenure at an occupation is found to increase it. However, neither of these factors explain much of the differences in unemployment durations between race and ethnic groups.Economic