RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Working to Reduce Poverty: A National Subsidized Employment Proposal
JF RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences
FD Russell Sage Foundation
SP 64
OP 83
DO 10.7758/RSF.2018.4.3.04
VO 4
IS 3
A1 Indivar Dutta-Gupta
A1 Kali Grant
A1 Julie Kerksick
A1 Dan Bloom
A1 Ajay Chaudry
YR 2018
UL http://www.rsfjournal.org/content/4/3/64.abstract
AB Subsidized employment programs that increase labor supply and demand are a proven, underutilized strategy for reducing poverty in the short and long term. These programs use public and private funds to provide workers wage-paying jobs, training, and wraparound services to foster greater labor force attachment while offsetting employers’ cost for wages, on-the-job training, and overhead. This article proposes two new separate but harmonized federal funding streams for subsidized employment that would expand automatically when and where economic conditions deteriorate. Participating states and local organizations would be offered generous matching funds to target adult workers most in need and to secure employer participation. The proposal would effectively reduce poverty among workers during work placements, and improve long-term unsubsidized employment and other outcomes for participants and their families.