Labour Discrimination as a Symptom of HIV: Experimental Evaluation: The Greek Case

In the present study, we conducted the first ever Correspondence Test in order to test whether job applicants who voluntarily disclose their HIV infections face prejudices in the selection process in Greece. Resumes differing only in an applicant’s health status were faxed to advertised job openings. The outcomes imply that employers use health conditions as a factor when reviewing resumes. The rate of net discrimination against HIV-positive males was between 82.6% and 97.8%. Similarly, net discrimination against HIV-positive females was between 81.6% and 98.8%. Interestingly, the degree of discrimination was randomly assigned and unrelated to an applicant’s education level and job status. The current study develops a new methodology that could promote researchers worldwide to conduct similar surveys. As efforts to address HIV discrimination grow, so does the need for a set of standard discrimination indicators that have been tested and validated.