Final answer:
To combat disability and racial discrimination, public policy measures include enforcing anti-discrimination laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and adopting practices like blind auditions to ensure fairness in hiring. Studies have shown that without these measures, discrimination is prevalent, with disparities evident in callback rates for interviews based on race, gender, and disability.
Step-by-step explanation:
To reduce disability discrimination and racial discrimination, there have been several federal actions aimed at improving opportunities for people with disabilities and thwarting discriminatory practices. One crucial step has been to make discriminatory practices illegal through several key pieces of legislation such as the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978.
Beyond legislation, interventions like removing markers of protected categories (e.g., race and gender) from employment information have proved effective. An example of this in practice was when symphony orchestras adopted blind auditions to increase the proportion of women musicians. However, implementing such anonymity in employment is challenging and may meet resistance from employers.
In the labor market, discrimination is observed through disparities in hiring practices. Studies have indicated a significant difference in callback rates for applicants based on race and gender. For instance, white names received 50% more callback for interviews as opposed to African-American names, and disclosing a disability status decreased the chances of a callback by half. These findings point to the necessity of public policies and interventions to ensure fair employment practices and reduce discrimination.