Welfare to Work

In 1988, Congress strengthened the work requirements for welfare recipients by creating the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) program. Although the JOBS program is designed to move welfare recipients from dependence to work, GAO found that a majority of JOBS programs lacked a strong employment focus. However, five welfare-to-work programs visited by GAO show promise because they focus on the importance of employment and forge links with employers. This report (1) provides examples of county or local JOBS or JOBS-like programs that emphasize job placement, subsidized employment, or work-experience positions for welfare recipients; (2) discusses the extent to which county JOBS programs nationwide use these employment-focused activities; and (3) examines factors that hinder program administrators' efforts to move welfare recipients into jobs.

GAO found that: (1) some welfare-to-work programs stress employment and work closely with employers in promoting work among welfare recipients; (2) although the programs reviewed keep participants focused on the importance of work and help program participants find jobs or work-experience positions, they vary in their approach; (3) many county JOBS programs do not have a strong employment focus and many county administrators do not work with employers to find jobs for participants or use work-experience programs; (4) many local program administrators believe that insufficient staffing and resources hinder their work with employers and more flexibility in federal rules governing work-experience programs would facilitate their use; (5) the low-wage work available to many AFDC recipients discourages their movement into the work force; and (6) AFDC programs may emphasize preparing participants for employment without also making strong efforts to help them get jobs, since states are not required to track the number of AFDC recipients who get jobs or earn their way off AFDC.