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Authors analyzed data from an intervention group consisting of 5,588 Florida Back to Work program participants and from a comparison group that included 16,204 individuals who were eligible for the program but did not receive subsidized employment. To be eligible for the Florida Back to Work program, individuals had to be currently receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits, be eligible for TANF, or have an income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line and have a child younger than 18. Staff at each regional workforce board identified eligible, job-ready program participants through existing TANF caseloads, through community partner referrals, and by assessing individuals seeking services from the workforce board.
The Florida Back to Work Program was administered from March to September 2010.
The Rockefeller Foundation provided funding for the study. The Economic Mobility Corporation conducted the study.
In the intervention group, sixty-eight percent of program participants were female, and about 47 percent had a high school diploma or GED or less. Forty-two percent were White, and another 42 percent were African American. Thirty-eight percent of participants were younger than 30, and another 33 percent were ages 30 to 39. These demographics were similar among comparison group members, with some exceptions. In the comparison group, 71 percent of group members were female, and about 45 percent had a high school diploma or GED or less. Fifty percent of comparison group members were African American, and 31 percent were White. Thirty-seven percent of comparison group members were younger than 30, and 32 percent were ages 30 to 39. The demographics table provides data about intervention group participants only; the data shown do not represent the comparison group.
Twenty-four state regional workforce boards implemented the Florida Back to Work program. Florida's Agency for Workforce Innovation (now called the Department of Economic Opportunity) oversaw the program with the Department of Children and Families and Workforce Florida, the state workforce board.
The Florida Back to Work Program did not exist before March 2010.
Florida Back to Work was a "direct hire" subsidized employment program for current TANF recipients, individuals deemed eligible to receive TANF, and individuals seeking work who had a child younger than 18 and a family income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. Program participants were hired by employers, who were required to put the participants on their payrolls and were then reimbursed for 80 to 95 percent of the costs associated with employing them. Employers could be nonprofits, for-profits, and public agencies. For-profit employers were required to commit to retaining an employee at the end of the subsidy period, whereas nonprofit employers were encouraged but not required to do so. Workers were not provided with any program-specific supports outside of help getting a subsidized job. Participants could access services available at one-stop career centers, including résumé help and job-readiness assistance. Some of the regional workforce boards in the state provided job coaching. All participants could also apply for transportation or child care assistance from their local regional workforce board.
Individuals in the comparison group were job seekers who were eligible for Florida Back to Work but did not obtain subsidized employment before the program ended.
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Florida Back to Work allowed participants to participate in subsidized employment for up to 12 months. But the program only existed for about six months, so all participants received six months or less of subsidized employment.
As part of ARRA in 2009, Congress included funding in the TANF emergency fund to help states cover the cost of expanding subsidized employment programs or creating new ones. This funding expired at the end of September 2010.
Florida's 24 regional workforce boards administered Florida Back to Work. Florida Back to Work provided subsidized employment through for-profits, nonprofits, and government agencies.