Over 20,000 people (and counting) have lost needed job support

Washington state’s economic recovery relies on our ability to get people back to work. In our latest policy brief, Economic Security: Key to Recovery and Prosperity,  we highlight how finding work during tough times can be particularly challenging for families with low-incomes and less job and educational experience. 

Washington state’s WorkFirst program provides the assistance these families need to find and keep a job, through education, training, job search, child care, and financial assistance. But just as those supports are becoming increasingly important in light of a dismal job market, the rug is being pulled out from underneath thousands of families.

Earlier this year, a 60 month time limit was enforced for families receiving WorkFirst benefits. The result: over 20,000 adults and children have been left without necessary help to find work, maintain housing and care for their children (Figure 6). 

A study conducted by the Department of Social and Health Services found that families who remain on WorkFirst the longest are more likely to have high barriers to self-sufficiency including substance abuse, mental health needs, family violence, and temporary or chronic health conditions. When already fragile families are cut from WorkFirst, they are extremely vulnerable to further risk including the safety of children and stability of the whole family.

Yet, under current proposals, benefits would be further limited to 48 months, immediately impacting another 2,380 families. When accounting for the number of adults and kids, this cut will likely impact 4,000 people.

Getting families back to work is a central component to our state’s recovery from tough economic times. Revenue options must be part of the solution to fill the budget gap, or else more families will see their lifeline to jobs disappear. This can be accomplished by modestly increasing state tax rates, eliminating unproductive tax breaks, or both.

Read the full policy brief here.