Capturing Work Supports and Resources for Low Wage Employees and Owners

Low wage workers may be eligible for a number of major federal and state work support resources such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, Food Stamps, State Children's Health Insurance Program, Medicaid, Child Care, Housing assistance, etc. Receiving benefits for which they are eligible can result in families receiving thousands of dollars of additional to help meet their pressing family needs each year, and can contribute to job retention and employment stability. However, many of these benefits are underused, because both employees and employers may be unaware of them or unfamiliar with how to apply. The effect is that employees who experience financial distress often leave their job, resulting in low job retention rates and extra costs for the business.

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is funding a national research project to identify promising practices among employers and their networks in helping low wage workers access work supports. Promising approaches are emerging where employers, employer networks, and community development intermediaries are working together to help low wage workers receive these benefits. The project is especially interested in employee owned businesses who are interested in helping their employees access these benefits.

For further information about what employers can do, or to share information about current experiences, please contact Abbey Frank or Mark Greenberg at the Center for Law and Social Policy at (202) 906-8000, email [email protected] or [email protected], or Bob Zdenek, national co-investigator, at (301) 263-2715, email [email protected]. The group will publish a national report on innovative practices and will share this information with NCEO.