Social Equity in Welfare-to-work

This study shows that even in the relatively generous Californian welfare-to-work (WTW) program (called CalWORKs) social inequities are (re-)produced at different policy levels.

Brief information

Status:

Completed

Period:

01.12.2018 - 30.06.2020

Overview

At the state level, we find expected race disparities: an under-representation of Blacks and an over-representation of Whites in WTW exemptions as well as an over-representation of Hispanics in WTW sanctions. These disparities may be shaped by the dominant colour-blind equality-discourse in CalWORKs. At the devolved county level, we find contrasting race patterns in exemption and sanction rates, which could be influenced by local level discourses and practices of equity/equality. We recommend, for any decentralized WTW program, introducing an equity framework at the highest policy level. At the street-level, we observe a high within county-variation of frontline-workers equity practices, calling for minimal standard of educational requirement for frontline-workers and equity trainings. While being more inclusive to immigrants in WTW than other states, CalWORKs simultaneously excludes immigrants, leaving them a high level of vulnerability. We propose to loosen the nexus between welfare dependency and the chances to get permanent residency for immigrants. Finally, we find that the experiences of clients in WTW depend on the local economic context. We recommend loosening the work-first and self-responsibility narratives and regulations.

Facts

Type of project

Forschung

Internal organisations involved
  • CC Organisation des Sozialwesens und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe
External project partner
External project funder
Funding
  • SNF-HSLU als Hauptgesuchsteller/in

Links

Persons involved: internal

Project manager
  • Lucia Lanfranconi

Publications