Date of Graduation

2005

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

This study explores how national factors such as the high performance bonus, work participation rate penalty, and caseload reduction credits from federal government influence state work attachment strategy choices. In addition, this study examines the effects of state work attachment strategies, such as lifetime limits, sanctions, and work requirements, on the employment and earning outcomes for welfare recipients in various states, along with the poverty rates in those states and the employment and economic status of former welfare recipients. Using three multivariate regression methods such as OLS regression, logistic regression, and ordered logistic regression using SPSS, this study analyzes administrative data regarding states and the data of the National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) 1999. First, the study finds that the caseload reduction credits significantly influence states in adopting strict lifetime limits. A high performance bonus was significantly related to a state's adoption of strict work requirements. In addition, the study find a positive relationship between states with a Republican governor and strict lifetime limits, as well as a positive relationship between Republican Party control of the legislature and strict sanctions. States with high percentages of Native Americans in their caseloads imposed weak overall work attachment strategies, as well as imposing weak lifetime limits. In addition, states with high household median income adopted weak lifetime limits. Second, the study finds that strict work requirements moderately increase the employment of welfare recipients. However, the study find inconsistent results compared with previous studies, indicating that Republican Party control of the legislatures was likely to reduce poverty rates. Wealthy states were likely to reduce poverty rates. Finally, this study's findings show a positive relationship between the strict lifetime limits of states and the employment of former welfare recipients. However, strict sanctions were less likely than weak sanctions to increase the employment and economic status of those leaving welfare. High levels of education and the EITC significantly facilitate former welfare recipients' having stable jobs and increasing their income. Although the study found that marriage reduces employment among former welfare recipients, at the same time, it increases family income resources coming into the household. The bad health conditions of former welfare recipients have significant, negative effects on the employment of those leaving welfare. Living in states with high household median incomes is positively associated with the employment and economic status of former welfare recipients. This study suggests that welfare reform reauthorization should focus on emphasizing human capital development strategies rather than only imposing work attachment as a “one size fits all” strategy. Policy implications have discussed.

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