SAFETY NET PROGRAMS ENCOURAGE WORK

Public assistance programs such as SNAP, the EITC, and housing subsidies tend to encourage recipients to get jobs, work more hours, and receive higher pay, according to a new report. It Pays to Work: Work Incentives and the Safety Net finds that workers in or near poverty benefit substantially from working additional hours or at higher wages, and that the vast majority face lower incomes if they don't work. The authors argue that increasing the minimum wage, fully implementing the Affordable Care Act, and expanding the EITC would all further encourage public benefit recipients to work.

Source: Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/3/16,