New Approach to Low-Wage Workers and Employers: Launching the Work Advancement and Support Center Demonstration

摘要

Low-income workers, a large segment of the U.S. labor market, make important contributions to the nation's economy. However, many do not keep their jobs at a notable cost to their employers or do not advance to better positions that would meet labor market demand for higher-skilled workers while, at the same time, increasing their own income. Moreover, even in the short term, they often do not enroll in public programs that offer financial support to low-wage workers. Although a considerable body of research shows what works in helping people who are not employed move into work, far less evidence exists on effective strategies for helping those who are already working stay in jobs and move up the career ladder. MDRCs Work Advancement and Support Center (WASC) demonstration was created to identify effective strategies to enable low-wage workers and reemployed dislocated workers (those who, because of industry restructuring, now work in significantly lower-paying jobs than they previously did) to stabilize their employment, find better-paying jobs, and prepare for positions that require higher skills all the while assisting employers in the process. This report describes planning and early implementation strategies undertaken between October 2004 and January 2005 at the first two sites to join the demonstration: Dayton, Ohio, and San Diego, California. These sites offer two different perspectives on the nation's economic environment.