Community Investments Vol 20, Issue 3
A New Safety Net for Low-Income Families

Author(s): Sheila Zedlewski, Ajay Chaudry, and Margaret Simms, The Urban Institute

During the 1990s, the federal government promised low-income families that work would pay. Parents moved into jobs in droves in response to new welfare rules requiring work, tax credits, and other work supports that boosted take-home pay. These policy changes were enacted during one of the strongest labor markets on record. A decade later, the labor market is tepid, and policies have to be re-evaluated keeping in mind the circumstances of today’s families.