Search Results

Time limits, increasing employment and training participation requirements, and strict economic sanctions for non-compliance with program expectations, all increase the importance of engaging a broader share of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) caseload in employment or employment-related activities. Over time, these policy changes will require states and local welfare offices to develop strategies to engage welfare recipients who have traditionally been exempted from participation in education or training activities, as well as other long-term recipients, in welfare-to-work programs. This paper is the first of a series of papers that will examine the magnitude of this challenge and identify potential options for helping this group of families find and maintain employment.

The copyright on this document is held by The Urban Institute. Show less

This paper opens with a brief description of subsidized employment programs that preceded those created through the [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Fund] TANF EF. The second section presents information on EF-supported programs. Subsequent sections describe several key elements of state programs: (1) program purpose; (2) target population; (3) subsidy structure; (4) types of jobs provided; and (5) administrative structure. The paper concludes by highlighting the following lessons that can be drawn from states' experiences: (1) it is possible (though challenging) to get large-scale, counter-cyclical job creation programs up and running relatively quickly and to engage the private sector in creating job opportunities; (2) subsidized jobs targeted to disadvantaged individuals benefit not only participating workers and businesses but also entire communities and society at large; (3) flexibility makes success possible in many different environments; (4) new targeted funding can provide the catalyst for innovation and increased collaboration; (5) subsidized employment programs can be implemented at reasonable cost; and (6) subsidized employment programs serve a variety of purposes; their performance should be judged on measures that are consistent with their purpose.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

Currently, most families in the United States of America (USA) who experience personal or family challenges are exempted or deferred from participation in employment or employment-related activities. However, there are a small number of states and some local programs that have expanded the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program or have developed programs outside of the welfare system to address the needs of these families. This report summarises information from case studies of eight of these programs and examines the issues that are important to consider when designing such programs.

The copyright on this document is held by The Urban Institute. Show less