Dispelling Common Work Requirement Myths

MYTH:

Work requirements “punish those in poverty.”

REALITY:

When people move from welfare to work, their incomes double as they find employment and fulfillment across hundreds of industries.

Leftist activists presume that leaving welfare is a bad thing that leaves people worse off. Work requirements do not “punish” those in poverty—they encourage people to get off the sidelines and become self-sufficient. Work requirements are designed to provide a pathway out of dependency and help people build the skills and experience they need to succeed in the workforce.

MYTH:

Parents can’t meet the work requirement.

REALITY:

Work requirements are a proven way to move all able-bodied adults—including parents—from welfare to work.

According to federal data, 99.6 percent of households potentially impacted by a work requirement have income levels that would qualify for their state’s childcare program.¹ Plus, requiring parents who do not meet the work requirement to volunteer can lead to full-time employment, helping model good work behavior for children. Additionally, depending on the welfare program, many parents are already exempt contingent on the age of their child or other children in the household.

MYTH:

Enrollees are thrown off the “welfare cliff” without a parachute.

REALITY:

Major welfare programs include off-ramps, transitioning enrollees out of welfare down a long slope, not off a cliff.

Welfare proponents argue that there is a “cliff” that individuals fall off once they reach a certain income level, leading to a decline in total resources. The reality is welfare benefits are gradually reduced so that increases in income accumulate more quickly than the decline in benefits.² For example, benefits in food stamps are calculated based on income. As income increases, benefit amounts slowly ratchet down, but do not stop immediately—and are more than offset by increases in earnings from work.

MYTH:

Most recipients are near the edge of the “welfare cliff” and working would push them over.

REALITY:

Very few able-bodied adults are near the cliff because most of them do not work at all.

Dependency advocates claim that most enrollees are right near the edge of the cliff, and that being required to work and earn income—even part time—would push them off due to increased income. But 64 percent of able-bodied adults receiving food stamps do not work at all.³ As a result, a large majority of welfare recipients are nowhere near the edge of their eligibility limits.

MYTH:

There aren’t enough jobs for my constituents in rural areas.

REALITY:

Employment, volunteer opportunities, and training programs are within reach of all Americans.

There are nearly 10 million open jobs nationwide.⁴ Fortunately, not only do most Americans live in areas with workforce programs, but many states are now offering virtual programs to reach even more participants. Additionally, because there are so many different options for participants to choose from to satisfy the work requirement—from job search training to internships—the opportunities are truly endless, even in rural communities!

• Used for income-producing purposes (e.g., taxi, truck, or delivery vehicle);
• Annually producing income consistent with their fair market value;
• Needed for long distance travel for work (other than daily commute);
• Used as the home;

• Needed to transport a physically disabled household member;
• Needed to carry most of the household’s fuel or water; or
• If the sale of the vehicle would result in less than $1,500.