Breaking News: Immigrants with Darker Complexions Earn Less than Fairer Immigrants

The Washington Post has an interesting story today reporting that Vanderbilt University economist Joni Hersch found that legal immigrants to the United States who had darker complexions or were shorter earned less money than their fair-skinned or taller counterparts with similar jobs, training and backgrounds. Even swarthy whites from abroad earned less than those with lighter skin.   Click here for the full story.

This study os consistent with previous studies finding that, controlling for other variables, darker, more indigeneous-appearing Latina/os earn less, and have more positive life outcomes,  than fairer-complected Latina/os.  This all makes one wonder what role race and racial discrimination continues to play in the workplace in teh United States.

KJ