Perceived Underemployment, Perceived Accent Discrimination, and Job Attitudes Among Immigrants: The Mediating Role of Perceived Organizational Support

Abstract

Although immigrants have become an integral part of the U.S. workforce, they are conspicuously absent in diversity research. Immigrants often face underemployment and discrimination, which lead to negative job attitudes, yet, the mechanism of such relationships is hardly understood. Using social exchange theory, the present study tested perceived organizational support (POS) as a potential mediator of a relationship between perceived underemployment and perceived accent discrimination, and job attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction, affective commitment, turnover intention) among 256 immigrant workers. Results showed that POS fully and partially mediated such relationships. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.