Economic and Social Correlates of Re-Employment

The purpose of our study is to examine the economic and social correlates of re-employment following job displacement. Our data are taken from 247 workers who were displaced as a result of plant closures in Ontario (Canada). Human capital did not affect re-employment. Economic need positively affected re-employment. Discrimination negatively affected re-employment, and social networks positively affected re-employment. Our conclusion falls squarely within the field of economic sociology, in that an economic outcome can have both an economic and a sociological explanation. Copyright 2004 American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Inc..