We conduct a résumé field experiment in all US states to study how state laws protecting older workers from age discrimination affect age discrimination in hiring for retail sales jobs. We relate the difference in callback rates between old and young applicants to states’ variation in age and disability discrimination laws. These laws could boost hiring of older applicants, although they could have the unintended consequence of deterring hiring if they increase termination costs. In our preferred estimates that are weighted to be representative of the workforce, we find evidence that there is less discrimination against older men and women in states where age discrimination law allows larger damages and more limited evidence that there is less discrimination against older women in states where disability discrimination law allows larger damages. Our clearest result is that the laws do not have the unintended consequence of lowering callbacks for older workers.

中文翻译：

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保护老年工人免受歧视的国家法律是否减少了雇用中的年龄歧视？实地实验的证据

我们在美国所有州进行了一项简历实验，研究了保护老年工人免受年龄歧视的州法律如何影响零售业雇用中的年龄歧视。我们将老年人和年轻申请人之间的回拨率差异与各州的年龄和残疾歧视法律的变化联系起来。这些法律可能会增加对年长申请人的雇用，尽管如果增加解雇成本，他们可能会产生阻止雇用的意外后果。在我们偏重于代表劳动力的首选估计中，我们发现证据表明，在年龄歧视法允许较大损害赔偿的州，对老年男女的歧视较少，而在州对老年妇女的歧视较少的证据则更为有限残疾歧视法允许更大的赔偿。