Welfare reform in the United States to date has been remarkably successful at reducing welfare caseloads and raising employment rates among current and former welfare recipients. Similar gains have not yet been noted in other aspects of employment, such as job performance, retention, and advancement. Ultimately, these factors will be among the most important determinants of the wages and benefits that welfare recipients earn in the labor market and of their ability to support their families and achieve financial independence. But the research evidence to date on these issues has been limited, and what is available has mostly suggested low rates of retention and advancement.