Testimony Addressing the "Benefits Cliff" and Encouraging Work for Welfare Recipients
Heather Hahn
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In this testimony before the State of Vermont House Committee on Human Resources, Heather Hahn discusses proposed changes to Vermont's TANF program, and more generally, the "benefits cliff" and work incentives that participants experience as they strive for self-sufficiency. Hahn explains how the key policy levers - asset tests and the earned income disregards - affect the benefits cliff and work incentives. She also places Vermont's Reach Up rules in the context of other states' TANF rules and discusses other important issues to consider in conjunction with changes in these rules.
Research Areas Social safety net
Tags Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Welfare and safety net programs State programs, budgets
Policy Centers Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population