The determinants of hiring older workers : evidence from Hong Kong
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Industrial and Labor Relations Review
Publication Date
4-1-1999
Volume
52
Issue
3
First Page
444
Last Page
459
Publisher
Sage Publications, Inc.
Abstract
A 1996 survey of Hong Kong establishments designed to identify hiring and employment patterns by workers' age shows that, as in the United States, many firms employed older workers but did not hire older workers. This pattern appears to reflect mainly economic forces, rather than public policy, given that no laws prohibited age discrimination or required uniform fringe benefit provision in Hong Kong. The empirical evidence from the survey is consistent with two broad hypotheses. First, workers and firms are more willing to invest in training when workers are young. Second, delayed compensation more effectively deters shirking among young workers than among older workers and is more readily accepted by young workers.
DOI
10.1177/001979399905200305
Print ISSN
00197939
E-ISSN
2162271X
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 1999 by Cornell University
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Heywood, J. S., Ho, L. S., & Wei X. (1999). The determinants of hiring older workers: Evidence from Hong Kong. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 52(3), 444-459. doi: 10.1177/001979399905200305