Decrease in work supports makes it harder to meet basic needs

This is the third in a three-part series on crucial work-support programs that have been reduced in the wake of the recession. The third posts will focus on the impact of a 60-month time limit for families receiving work support.

By Kim Justice and Lori Pfingst

Washington’s WorkFirst program provides low-income families temporary cash assistance while they look for work. The Governor’s plan to cut cash assistance by 15 percent will severely limit parents’ ability to meet their family’s basic needs, such as food, shelter, and transportation

The cuts threaten the economic security of families at a time when job opportunities are scarce for everyone, especially low-income people.  Even when additional resources available to low-income families are factored in, a family would still face a substantial budget shortfall in meeting their basic needs. 

Figure 1 shows what a 15 percent cut to WorkFirst means for a family of three living in Seattle/King County.  Assuming this family also receives food stamps, public health insurance, and child care assistance, they still face a monthly shortfall of over $960 in meeting their basic needs.  While families living in rural counties face less of a shortfall due to lower cost-of-living, similar analyses show they are also barely meeting their children’s basic needs with the cut.

Under these circumstances families have to make tough choices. Should a single mother feed her children or heat her home? Should she move into a cheaper apartment in a less safe neighborhood? Should she seek child care that is more affordable, but lower quality? Reducing a family’s work supports when they need them the most not only jeopardizes the well-being of our children and communities, but goes against our values of rewarding people for participating in the labor force. 

Figure 1