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Do Financial Incentives Encourage Welfare Recipients to Work? Early Findings from the Canadian Self Sufficiency Project

Author

Listed:
  • David Card

    (Princeton University)

  • Philip K. Robins

    (University of Miami)

Abstract

This paper presents results from an experimental evaluation of an earnings supplement program offered to long-term welfare recipients in two Canadian provinces. The program -- known as the Self-Sufficiency Project - provides a supplement equal to one-half of the difference between an earnings target ($2,500 or $3083 per month, Canadian dollars, depending on the province) and the individual's actual earnings. The supplement is similar to a negative income tax with two important differences: (1) eligibility is limited to long-term welfare recipients who find a full-time job (30 hours per week or more); and (2) the supplement payment is based on individual earnings rather than family income. The evaluation is based on a randomized design that will follow 6,000 individuals for 5 years. Early findings for a first cohort of 2,000 individuals observed over 18 months of program eligibility suggest that the financial incentives of the Self-Sufficiency Program significantly increase labor market attachment and significantly reduce welfare participation.

Suggested Citation

  • David Card & Philip K. Robins, 1996. "Do Financial Incentives Encourage Welfare Recipients to Work? Early Findings from the Canadian Self Sufficiency Project," Working Papers 738, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..
    • Handle: RePEc:pri:indrel:359
    as

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Fortin, Bernard, 1997. "Dépendance à l’égard de l’aide sociale et réforme de la sécurité du revenu," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 73(4), pages 557-573, décembre.
    2. Blundell, Richard & Macurdy, Thomas, 1999. "Labor supply: A review of alternative approaches," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 27, pages 1559-1695, Elsevier.
    3. Martin D. Dooley, 1999. "The Evolution of Welfare Participation Among Canadian Lone Mothers From 1973-1991," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 32(3), pages 589-612, May.
    4. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/5l6uh8ogmqildh09h86ao8i8i is not listed on IDEAS
    5. David Card & Philip K. Robins & Winston Lin, 1998. "Would Financial Incentives for Leaving Welfare Lead Some People to Stay on Welfare Longer? An Experimental Evaluation of 'Entry Effects' in the SSP," NBER Working Papers 6449, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Guillaume Allègre, 2010. "L'expérimentation du revenu de solidarité active entre objectifs scientifiques et politiques," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 0(2), pages 59-90.
    7. Mekonnen, Tigist, 2017. "Financing rural households and its impact: Evidence from randomized field experiment data," MERIT Working Papers 2017-009, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    8. Lawrence F. Katz, 1996. "Wage Subsidies for the Disadvantaged," NBER Working Papers 5679, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Primoz Dolenc & Milan Vodopivec, 2005. "Does work pay in Slovenia?," Financial Theory and Practice, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(4), pages 341-362.
    10. Charles Michalopoulos & Philip K. Robins & David Card, 2000. "When Financial Incentives Pay for Themselves: Early Findings from the Self-Sufficiency Project's Applicant Study," JCPR Working Papers 133, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    11. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/5l6uh8ogmqildh09h86ao8i8i is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Chou, Y. J. & Staiger, Douglas, 2001. "Health insurance and female labor supply in Taiwan," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 187-211, March.
    13. Christopher Ferrall, 2012. "Explaining and Forecasting Results of the Self-sufficiency Project," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 79(4), pages 1495-1526.
    14. Alisa C. Lewin & Eric Maurin, 2005. "The Effect of Family Size on Incentive Effects of Welfare Transfers in Two-Parent Families," Evaluation Review, , vol. 29(6), pages 507-529, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    welfare; social experiment; labor supply; Canada;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C62 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Existence and Stability Conditions of Equilibrium
    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques

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