Search results

The UK government has undertaken a major reform of the welfare state through its New Deal policy. The focus of the policy is on reducing dependency and increasing the employability of the long-term unemployed. The main goal is employment and employers therefore play a major part in the reform. Similar initiatives have been undertaken in the US in recent years and this paper summarises the early lessons from the US experience to assist planning and discussion among British employers and policymakers. The paper provides case study examples of a selected group of large American companies that have British subsidiaries and effective welfare-to-work programs. The sections of the paper are: Executive summary; Introduction; General trends in employer welfare-to-work efforts; Welfare-to-work experience of leading US firms: motivation and benefits; Welfare-to-work experience of leading US firms: high-value activities; Lessons and implications from US experience; Case studies.