Determinants of Unemployment and Economic Hardship of Welfare Leavers Who Have Reached Their Lifetime Limits

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional survey design is used to explore the determinants of unemployment and economic hardship among former welfare recipients who have reached their 5-year lifetime limits in a sample of 276 former WV WORKS recipients in West Virginia. The findings of the study indicate that respondents with mental problems; physical disabilities; or without a high school diploma, child care, or transportation were more likely than others to be unemployed. In addition, either mental health problems or a lack of transportation were significantly associated with the economic hardships of the welfare leavers. Policy implications suggest that the lifetime-limit policy be exempted for those with mental problems or physical disabilities, or extended for those who have children under age 2 and comply with mandatory work requirements.

KEYWORDS:

• Lifetime-limit policy
• welfare leavers
• unemployment
• economic hardship

Notes

^a 2003 West Virginia Survey of the West Virginia University's Welfare Reform Research Team.

^b 2003 TANF Annual Report of the DHHS.

∗p ≤ .05.

∗∗∗p ≤ .001.

^a Standardized coefficients;

^b Standard errors;

^c Odds ratios.

∗∗p ≤ .01.

∗∗∗p ≤ .001.

^a Standardized coefficients;

^b Standard errors.