Private Employers and TANF Recipients

Final Report

Prepared for:
John Tambornino, Project Officer
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Prepared by:
David A. Long and Tammy Ouellette
Abt Associates Inc.

May 25, 2004

This report is available on the Internet at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/private-employers04/

How to Obtain a Printed Copy

Contents

Executive Summary

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1:  Introduction

• 1.1  Background
• 1.2  The Questions Addressed by this Study
• 1.3  Expert Panel
• 1.4  Overview of the Report

Chapter 2:  Review of the Research Literature

• 2.1  Overview
• 2.2  Employers and TANF Recipients
• 2.3  Employer Practices
• 2.4  Employer Reasons for Hiring TANF Recipients
• 2.5  Employer Reasons for Not Hiring TANF Recipients
• 2.6  TANF Recipients Who Are Difficult to Employ
• 2.7  Sources of Improvement

Chapter 3:  Assessment of the Existing Literature

• 3.1  Existing Data Sources
• 3.2  Unanswered Questions

Chapter 4:  Options for Future Study

• 4.1  Analyses of Existing Data Sources
• 4.2  New Data Collection
• 4.3  Natural Experiments
• 4.4  Rigorous Evaluation Studies
• 4.5  Short-Term and Longer-Term Research Priorities

Chapter 5 : A Survey of Employers and Intermediaries

• 5.1  Introduction
• 5.2  Design of a Core Survey of Employers
• 5.3  Comprehensive Survey Plan
• 5.4  Basic Survey Plan
• 5.5  Supplementary Interviews with Employers
• 5.6  Survey with Intermediaries
• 5.7  Resources and Schedule

Chapter 6:  Conclusions and Priorities Research

• 6.1  Conclusions
• 6.2  Priorities

Appendix A:  Research documents reviewed in the study. (in PDF format)

Bibliography

Exhibits

Exhibit 2.1  Research Documents Reviewed

Exhibit 3.1  Key Practices of Employers and Intermediaries
Exhibit 3.2  Activities and Outcomes with and without Labor Market Intermediaries

Exhibit 5.1  Potential Employer Survey Topics and Illustrative Questions
Exhibit 5.2  Strengths and Weaknesses of Possible Employer Sample Frames
Exhibit 5.3  Implementation Plan for Comprehensive and Basic Surveys
Exhibit 5.4  Potential Intermediary Survey Topics and Illustrative Questions

Acknowledgements

We have many people to thank for their contributions to this report. First, we are grateful to the members of this study's expert panel — Wendy Ardagna, Timothy Bartik, Beth Buehlmann, Grant Collins, John Colborn, Harry Holzer, Susan Houseman, Katherine McFate, Branka Minic, Jason Turner, and Larry Temple — for sharing their time and insights. Through their judgments, comments and advice, they helped to “write” this report. We particularly thank panel member Harry Holzer, who provided valuable assistance and supplied the data and supporting documentation for the employer surveys he directed in Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee.

Second, special thanks and credit are due to John Tambornino, of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for his critical role in formulating and implementing this project. He was active in virtually every aspect of the study. John provided thoughtful and detailed comments on earlier drafts of this report.

This report also benefited from the valuable comments and suggestions we received from Stephen Wandner and Jonathan Simonetta (Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor), Michael Dubinsky (Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), and Timothy Bartik and Susan Houseman (W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research).

At Abt Associates, Catherine Dun Rappaport was a key contributor to all aspects of this study until taking leave. Richard McGahey played an important oversight role in the project and Larry Orr, the project's technical reviewer, provided excellent advice and comments on this report. Neil Bergquist and Jaime Davis helped with the project's literature review and expert panel meeting. Richard LaRock, Fatima Mahmud, and Derrick James assisted with the literature review. K.P. Srinath provided expert help with the design of the employer survey options. Finally, Jan Nicholson edited the document and Denise Young helped prepare it for publication.

The Authors

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Last updated: 07/27/04