Trends and Patterns of Discrimination in Newspaper Job Advertisements in the Philippines from 1985 to 2015 and Other Prevailing Covert Forms of Pre-employment Discrimination

Abstract

This descriptive and exploratory study looks into the discrimination trends and patterns in terms of the age, height, sex, and school affiliation requirements over the years by comparing job ads of 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015. A total of 8,487 job ads were examined. Proportions of job ads were juxtaposed across 10 occupational groups. While results showed a decreasing trend over time for most occupational groups, discrimination, however, has not been completely eliminated. Select recruitment practitioners were engaged through in-depth interviews to uncover the prevailing covert hiring discriminatory practices. Pre-employment discrimination that remains apparent includes history of incarceration, disability, and presence of specific health conditions such as HIV/AIDS. The baseline information generated by the study is helpful in formulating and implementing more relevant policies and programs, both at the national and organizational levels, which will combat workplace discrimination and promote equal employment opportunity for all.