Skip to main content

Insights Gained in Workfare Demonstration Projects

CED-81-117 Published: Jul 31, 1981. Publicly Released: Aug 12, 1981.
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

The Food Stamp Act of 1977 requires that the workfare concept, in which food stamp recipients will be required to work on public service jobs for the value of their food stamp benefits, be tested in 14 pilot projects. GAO reviewed the first year's operation of the Food Stamp Workfare Demonstration, focusing on the operating results of seven demonstration sites, problems in measuring workfare benefits and costs, and the need for legislative and administrative changes that would help provide a more effective and efficient workfare operation.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should modify workfare program regulations and administrative procedures to require that eligible participants be interviewed and assigned to public service jobs as soon as possible with approved exceptions only where large jurisdictions would encounter massive administrative burdens without a phase-in approach; require participating jurisdictions to randomly verify participants' reasons for not appearing for an interview or job assignment; require that participants not having a good reason for not completing their workfare obligation be immediately sanctioned; establish work standards for workfare assignments and impose sanctions for clearly substandard performance; and require that project design not restrict work benefits and provide for continuity of project operations.
Closed
GAO has no information on the actions taken in response to this recommendation.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should establish and implement an effective system for gathering information on all real benefits being achieved from the workfare demonstration, whether measurable in terms of dollars or not, to give a more accurate account of workfare's actual and potential benefits. Such benefits should include the value of work lost because sites did not immediately identify and assign eligible able-bodied persons to work when the demonstration began, as well as the impact of the demonstration on Food Stamp Program participation.
Closed
GAO has no information on the actions taken in response to this recommendation.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should obtain meaningful cost data to show what costs would be incurred in a regular, ongoing workfare program, as distinguished from a demonstration.
Closed
GAO has no information on the actions taken in response to this recommendation.
Department of Agriculture The Secretaries of Agriculture and Labor should keep Congress fully informed about the problems and results of the workfare demonstration.
Closed
GAO has no information on the actions taken in response to this recommendation.
Department of Labor The Secretaries of Agriculture and Labor should keep Congress fully informed about the problems and results of the workfare demonstration.
Closed
GAO has no information on the actions taken in response to this recommendation.

Full Report

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

Cost effectiveness analysisEligibility criteriaFood relief programsIncome maintenance programsProgram managementStudentsUnemployment insurance benefitsWelfare recipientsWorkfareSanctions