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Studies contradictory on welfare-to-work's success
March 28, 1998
Welfare recipients training to be chefs
Web posted at: 8:45 p.m. EST (0145 GMT)From Correspondent Maria Hinojosa
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In the 18 months since the enactment of mandatory timetables for getting people from welfare to work, welfare rolls in the United States have shrunk by 20 percent.
But two studies released this week give contradictory information about the success those former welfare recipients have in keeping their new jobs.
A study in north Florida found that 60 percent of the people there had jobs six months after losing their welfare benefits. But in New York, government figures showed that fewer than 30 percent of the people dropped from welfare had found employment.
"What we see in New York is maybe what the data suggests we see nationally -- but maybe even more extreme in New York --which is a pulling apart of the haves and have-nots," says Marcia Meyers of Columbia University.
136K/11 sec. AIFF or WAV sound
Graduate of chefs' training program gets job with Marriott Hotel Corporation And Meyers said that in the long run, a central issue of welfare reform may be a scarcity of jobs, "particularly [for] those who are the lowest skilled workers, who are now increasingly competing for jobs not only with low-skilled workers in this country but with low-skilled workers internationally."
Welfare rights activists say that the only way to make the transition from welfare to work succeed is with a broad-based commitment from government, corporations and organizations, focused on meeting the social needs of former welfare recipients.
"Simply declaring an end of 'welfare as we know it' doesn't really lay the groundwork for people to successfully make the transition to full-time, stable work," says Rosanne Haggerty, executive director of Common Ground.
"When you have non-profit organizations who can provide housing, support services, encouragement and a real leg up to people, not only are they going to work, but they're staying at work," says Julie Sandorf, president of the Corporation for Supportive Housing.
Related stories:
- Reports: Tough eligibility forces thousands off welfare - March 23, 1998
- Economy affords welfare reform success - March 6, 1998
- Woman goes from welfare roll to payroll - October 24, 1997
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