%0 Report %A Biddle, Jeff E. %A Hamermesh, Daniel S. %T Cycles of Wage Discrimination %D 2011 %8 2011 Aug %I Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) %C Bonn %7 IZA Discussion Paper %N 5945 %U https://www.iza.org/publications/dp5945 %X Using CPS data from 1979-2009 we examine how cyclical downturns and industry-specific demand shocks affect wage differentials between white non-Hispanic males and women, Hispanics and African-Americans. Women's and Hispanics' relative earnings are harmed by negative shocks, while the earnings disadvantage of African-Americans may drop with negative shocks. Negative shocks also appear to increase the earnings disadvantage of bad-looking workers. A theory of job search suggests two opposite-signed mechanisms that affect these wage differentials. It suggests greater absolute effects among job-movers, which is verified using the longitudinal component of the CPS. %K search models %K women %K minorities %K beauty