Download This PaperThe Selection Effects of Part-Time Work: Experimental Evidence from a Large-Scale Recruitment Drive
HKUST Business School Research Paper No. 2022-064
Review of Economics and Statistics, 2025[10.1162/rest_a_01587]
69 Pages Posted: 29 Apr 2022 Last revised: 29 Jun 2023
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The Selection Effects of Part-Time Work: Experimental Evidence from a Large-Scale Recruitment Drive
The Selection Effects of Part-Time Work: Experimental Evidence from a Large-Scale Recruitment Drive
Date Written: August 29, 2024
Abstract
We implement a field experiment to examine how part-time work attracts applicants with different productivity than full-time work. In a large-scale recruitment drive for a data-entry position in Ethiopia, either a part-time or full-time job opportunity was randomly offered. We find that part-time work attracts less qualified applicants with lower productivity but stronger preferences for short work hours. Our estimates show this selection effect may explain about half of the typical part-time wage penalty, which is about 25%. A simple model demonstrates how lack of high-quality workers with strong preference for short work hours could explain the experimental findings.
JEL Classification: J22, J24, J31, M51, O15
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