Workfare
Encyclopedia
Workfare is an alternative model to conventional social welfare systems. The term was first introduced by civil rights
leader James Charles Evers in 1968; however, it was popularized by Richard Nixon
in a televised speech August 1969. (Peck, 1998, p. 137) Traditional welfare benefits systems, such as the operated in the UK
are usually awarded based on certain conditions, such as searching for work or based on meeting criteria that would put the recipient in such a condition as being unavailable to seek or be in employment.
Under workfare, recipients have to meet certain participation requirements to continue to receive their welfare benefits. These requirements are often a combination of activities that are intended to improve the recipient's job prospects (such as training, rehabilitation
and work experience
) and those designated as contributing to society (such as unpaid or low-paid work). These programs, now common in Australia
(as "mutual obligation") and Canada
, have generated considerable debate and controversy. In the Netherlands
workfare is known as Work First, based on the Wisconsin Works program from the USA.
There are two main types of workfare: those that encourage direct employment to get individuals off the welfare roll directly into the workforce, and those that are intended to increase human capital by providing training and education to those currently in the welfare system. (Peck, 1998)
In the Third World
, similar schemes are designed to alleviate rural poverty among day-labourers by providing state-subsidised temporary work
during those periods of the year when little agricultural work is available. For example, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)
in India
offers 100 days paid employment per year for those eligible, rather than unemployment benefits on the Western model.
Some workfare systems also aim to derive contribution from welfare recipients by more direct means. These systems obligate unemployed people to undertake work that is beneficial to their community. The rationale behind these programs is twofold; Firstly, taxpayers may feel that they get "more value for their welfare dollar" when they observe welfare recipients working for benefits, making such programs more politically popular. Secondly, putting unemployed people into a workplace-like environment attempts to address the argument that one of the biggest barriers to employment for the long-term unemployed is their lack of recent workforce experience.
in the 1990s wasn't due to a rise in actual gainful employment in this population, but rather, due almost exclusively to their offloading into workfare, giving them a different classification than classic welfare recipient.
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
leader James Charles Evers in 1968; however, it was popularized by Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
in a televised speech August 1969. (Peck, 1998, p. 137) Traditional welfare benefits systems, such as the operated in the UK
Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus was a government agency for working-age people in Great Britain. The agency was formed when the Employment Service, which operated Jobcentres, merged with the Benefits Agency, which ran social security offices, and was re-named Jobcentre Plus on 1 April 2002...
are usually awarded based on certain conditions, such as searching for work or based on meeting criteria that would put the recipient in such a condition as being unavailable to seek or be in employment.
Under workfare, recipients have to meet certain participation requirements to continue to receive their welfare benefits. These requirements are often a combination of activities that are intended to improve the recipient's job prospects (such as training, rehabilitation
Rehabilitation
-Mental health:* Drug rehabilitation* Rehabilitation , the rehabilitation of criminal behavior.* Rehabilitation , therapy aimed at improving neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished by disease or traumatic injury...
and work experience
Work experience
Work experience is the experience that a person has been working, or worked in a specific field or occupation.- Volunteer work and internships :...
) and those designated as contributing to society (such as unpaid or low-paid work). These programs, now common in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(as "mutual obligation") and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, have generated considerable debate and controversy. In the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
workfare is known as Work First, based on the Wisconsin Works program from the USA.
There are two main types of workfare: those that encourage direct employment to get individuals off the welfare roll directly into the workforce, and those that are intended to increase human capital by providing training and education to those currently in the welfare system. (Peck, 1998)
In the Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
, similar schemes are designed to alleviate rural poverty among day-labourers by providing state-subsidised temporary work
Temporary work
Temporary work or temporary employment refers to a situation where the employee is expected to leave the employer within a certain period of time. Temporary employees are sometimes called "contractual", "seasonal", "interim", "casual staff", "freelance", or "part-time"; or the word may be shortened...
during those periods of the year when little agricultural work is available. For example, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is an Indian job guarantee scheme, enacted by legislation on August 25, 2005...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
offers 100 days paid employment per year for those eligible, rather than unemployment benefits on the Western model.
Goals of workfare
The purported main goal of workfare is to generate a "net contribution" to society from welfare recipients. Most commonly, this means getting unemployed people into paid work, reducing or eliminating welfare payments to them and creating an income that generates taxes. Furthermore, it is argued that once a person has recent employment experience, even at entry level, they are better able to obtain gainful, long term employment. Welfare-to-work programs aim to break the cycle of poverty where welfare dependence can become a way of life. Workfare participants retain certain employee rights throughout the process.Some workfare systems also aim to derive contribution from welfare recipients by more direct means. These systems obligate unemployed people to undertake work that is beneficial to their community. The rationale behind these programs is twofold; Firstly, taxpayers may feel that they get "more value for their welfare dollar" when they observe welfare recipients working for benefits, making such programs more politically popular. Secondly, putting unemployed people into a workplace-like environment attempts to address the argument that one of the biggest barriers to employment for the long-term unemployed is their lack of recent workforce experience.
Criticism
Critics sometimes point out that the reason for the massive decrease of people on the welfare rolls in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 1990s wasn't due to a rise in actual gainful employment in this population, but rather, due almost exclusively to their offloading into workfare, giving them a different classification than classic welfare recipient.
See also
- Job GuaranteeJob guaranteeA job guarantee is an economic policy proposal aimed at providing a sustainable solution to the dual problems of inflation and unemployment. Its aim is to create full employment and price stability...
- Poor Law Amendment Act 1834Poor Law Amendment Act 1834The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to PLAA, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
- New DealNew DealThe New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
(USA) - New Deal (UK)New Deal (UK)The New Deal is a programme of active labour market policies introduced in the United Kingdom by the Labour government in 1998, initially funded by a one off £5bn windfall tax on privatised utility companies. The stated purpose is to reduce unemployment by providing training, subsidised employment...
- Hartz ReformsHartz conceptThe Hartz concept is a set of recommendations that resulted from a commission on reforms to the German labour market in 2002. Named after the head of the commission, Peter Hartz, it went on to become part of the German government's Agenda 2010 series of reforms, known as Hartz I - Hartz IV...
in Germany - Welfare-to-work in the US.
- Work for the DoleWork for the doleWork for the Dole is an Australian federal government program that is a form of workfare, work-based welfare. It was first permanently enacted in 1998, having been trialed in 1997....
, an Australian government program. - AFDC
- TANF
- Make-work jobMake-work jobA make-work job is a job that has less final benefit than the job costs to support. Make-work jobs are similar to workfare but are publicly offered on the job market and have otherwise normal employment requirements .A classic...
- Welfare trapWelfare trapThe welfare trap theory asserts that taxation and welfare systems can jointly contribute to keep people on social insurance because the withdrawal of means tested benefits that comes with entering low-paid work causes there to be no significant increase in total income...
- National WorkshopsNational WorkshopsNational Workshops refer to areas of work provided for the unemployed by the French Second Republic after the Revolution of 1848. The political crisis which resulted in the abdication of Louis Philippe caused an acute industrial crisis adding to the general agricultural and commercial distress...
, the first short-lived attempt to create a modern workfare system in 1848 France. - RetrainingRetrainingVocational rehabilitation or retraining is the process of learning a new skill or trade, often in response to a change in the economic environment. Generally it reflects changes in profession rather than an "upward" movement in the same field....
External links
- "Workfare Tendencies in Scandinavian Welfare Policies" http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/ses/info/publ/workfare.htm