​Summary: Little is known about how one’s undocumented status influences employment exclusions or workplace violations. In this fact sheet, authors present data on employment exclusions and violations in the workplace among immigrants with a history of having been undocumented. Authors used data from the Research on Immigrant Health and State Policy (RIGHTS) Study to examine Latinx and Asian immigrants ages 18 or older who experienced employment exclusions and workplace violations across their history of being undocumented (n=2,013). 

Findings: Latinx and Asian immigrants who had previously been undocumented were nearly twice as likely than immigrants who were never undocumented to report exclusions from getting jobs (e.g. being unable to get hired, work authorization at risk, unable to apply, and settled for a job). They also experienced a higher rate of violations at work (e.g. not paid for work, asked to perform harmful tasks, injured at work, unreported work injury).

RIGHTS is a follow-on survey to the 2018, 2019, and 2020 California Health Interview surveys (CHIS).​

This fact sheet was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Award No. R01 MD012292.