Making ends meet: how single mothers survive welfare and low-wage work

335 Pages·1997·4.078 MB·English

by  Lein, Laura, Edin, Kathryn

•
HowS ingloet heSrusr viWveela re
and Low-WWoargke
Edinan dL aurLae in
RusseSlale F oundati•o Nne wY ork
g
TheR usseSllag eF oundation
TheR usseSlalgF eo undatioonneo, ft heo ldeosftA mericgae'nse ral-pufropuons­e
datiownass,e stabliisnh1 e9d0 b7y M rsM.a rgarOelti vSiaag efo r" thiem prove­
mento fs ociaanld l ivicnogn ditiiontn hse U niteSdt at.e"Tsh eF oundatsieoenk s
tof ulfitlh!im sa ndatbey fosteritnhged evelopmaenndtd isminase tioonf k nowl­
Whil
edgea boutth ec ountrpyo'lsi tiscoacli,aa ln,de conomipcr oblems.e the
Foundateinodne avotroas s sutrheea ccuracyo bajnedc tiovfei atcybh o oki tp ub­
lishtehsec, o nclusainodni sn terpretianRt uisosnseS lalg Feo undatpiuobnl ications
aret hosoef t hea uthoarnsd nooftt heF oundatiiotTnsr, u steoersi t,ss t affP.u b­
licatbiyo Rnu sseSlalg et,h erefdoorees,n oti mplFyo undateinodno rsement.
BOARD OFT RUSTEES
PeggCy. D aviCsh,a ir
AlanS .B linder IrKa atznelson EugenSem olensky
AnneP itCtasr ter ElleCno ndlfeiL fagemannH arolTda nner
JoeEl. C ohen HowardR aifaf MartTai enda
PhoebCe. E llswortJho hnS .R eed EriWca nner
TimothAy.H ultquisNte i]l.S melser WilliJauml iWuisl son
library ofC ongress Data
EdinK,a thry1n9,6 2-
Makinegn dsm eeth:o ws ingmloet hesrusr viwveel faarned l ow-wage wIo rk
KathrEydni ann dL aurLae in.
P. cm.
Includbeisb liograrpehefirceanlc aensd i ndex.
ISBN0 -8175-42(2h9a-r3db ounIdS)B N0 -8175-42(3p4a-pXe rback)
1.S inglmeo therUsn iteSdt ateSso ciaclo nditi2o.nS si.n glmeo thers>-­
EmploymenUtn iteSdt ate3s.M. a ternaaln di nfawnetl farUen iteSdt ates.
4.W elfarreec ipieEnmtpsl oymenUtn iteSdt atWeasg.e sM inimuwma g.e-e­
UniteSdt ateIs.L. e inL,a ura1.1 T.i tle.
HQ759.915.1E93947
6---d
306.85'c21 96-40379
CIP
Copyri©g h1t9 9b7y R usseSlalg Feo undatiAolnlr.i g hrtess ervPerdi.n tientd h e
UniteSdt atoefsA mericNao. p art tohfip su blicamtaiyob ne r eproducsetdo,r ed
form
ina retriesvyaseltm ,o rt ransmiitnta endy or ia.Jnyym eanse,l ectronic,
mechanicpahlo,t ocopyriencgo,r dionrgo ,t herwiwsiet,h out prtihoewr r itten
permissoifot nh ep ublisher.
Reproducbtyit ohne U niteSdt atGeosv ernmeinnwt h oloer pianr tp eirsm itted
fora nyp urpose.
Thep apeurs edi nt hipsu blicamteieotnts h em inimurme quiremoefnA tmse ri­
canN ationSatla ndafrodr I nformatSicoine ncPeesr manenceP aopfe fro r
PrintLeidb raMrayt eriAaNlSsI2. 3 94.8-1992.
Texdte sigbny S uzannNei cho.l s
RUSSELSLA GEF OUNDATOIN
112E as6t4 tSht reNeetw, Y orkN,e w York1 0021
109 8 7 56 43 2 1
Too urc hdirlen
AnnaR,e becDcaav,i Kda,i tlainndM, a risa

Contents
•
ForewobrydC hristoJpehnecrk s IX
•
Acknowledgments
XXIX
Chapt1e rS ingMloet herWse,l faraen,dL ow-WagWeo rk 1
Chapt2e rM akinEgn dsM eeto na WelfaCrhee ck 20
Chapt3e rW hy Don'Wte lfare-RMeoltihaenrGtso toW ork? 60
Chapt4e rM akinEgn dsM eeta ta Low-WagJeo b 88
Chapt5e rW hy SomeS ingMloet herCsh oosteo W ork 120
Chapt6e rS mvivSatlr ategies 143
Chapt7e rD ifefrencAemso ngM others 192
Chapt8e rT heC hoicBee tweeWne lfaarned W ork 218
AppendAi x 236
AppendBi x 250
Notes 271
References 288
Index 296
• •
Vll
Digitibzyet dh eI nterAnrecth ive
in2 012
http://archive.org/details/makingendsmeethoOOedin
Foreword
....v.,e sri nLcyen doJno hnsfiornsa ts kehdi Cso uncoifEl c onomic
- Advistoore ss timhaotwem anyA mericwaenrsep oorp,u blic
officiaplosl,i acnya lyasntdsj ,o urnalhiasvtrese lioendt heC en­
susB ureafuo ri nfonnaatbioounpt o verWthye.n t heb ureau
repotrhtaspt o verhtaysb ecomlee scso mmoanm ontgh ee lderly,
asi th aso vetrh ep asgte neroant,wi e congrlaattoueu rse.l ves
When tbhuer eraeup otrhtaspt o verhtaysb ecommeo rec ommon
amoncgh ild,wr ee wnrinogu rh ands.
InM akinEgn dsM ee,tK athrEydni ann dL aura pLreeisne nt
powerfeuvli detnhcaett h eC ensuBusr e'asmu easuroefps o verty
areo ftenq uitmei sleadTihnegg o.o dn ews tihsap to ofram ilies
havmeo rer esourtcheaasnn aivree adoefcr e nssutsa timsitgihcts
thinTkh.eb adn ewsi st hat otffihcei paolv ertys htohlradelss o
underestpiomoaprte eo plnee'esd Bse.c auosfet hesper oblems,
theo fficipaolv erctoyu nmta yb ee ithteoroh igohr t ool owF.o r­
tunataellmyo,es vte ryorneec ogntihzaets ltihnbeee twetehne
pooarn dt he nonipsso oomre whaartb itsroair tdy o,e nso tm uch
mattwehre thweer s ayt ha1t0o r2 0p erceonftt h ep opulaitsi on
"pooWrh.a"td oemsa ttiestr h apto verrtayt feosdr i fferengtr oups
refltehcetf er quenocfyd estitiutnei aocnhg r oupW.h ent he
poverrtayti esh ighaemro ncgh ildrena motnhtgah nee lderflory ,
exapmlew,e neetdo b ec onfidetnhtac th ildarreein nf acmto re
liketloly a cbka since cessiIttii sae lss.io m porttahnactth anges
int heo fficipaolv errtaytm ei rrcohra ngiensp eoplaeb'isl tiot y
buyb asincec esessiI.tft i heo fficipaolv errtaytf eer quenrtilsye s
whilmea terial hfaalrlodsrs,v h iicvpee rspao,v ersttya tiasrtei cs
worsteh auns eless.
MakinEgn dsM eeftoc useosn t heg routph ahta st radition­
allhya dt heh ighepsotv errtayt e Amienr icuan:s kilsliendg le
•
lX
MakinEgn dMs
x eet
mothearnsdt hecihri ldErdeinan.n dL einfn'idsi nsgusg getshta t,
atl eafsotrt he nfeexwty earosff,i cipaolv ersttya tsi wsitlilc
probabplryo viad qeu itmei sleapdiicntguo rfhe o wt hesfea m­
ilieecso'n omsitca tiuscs h angiAnsg .t he tinmelewi miotnws e l­
farree cebiepgti tnot akeefe fctm,o rea ndm ores ingmloet hers
wilhla vteo t akjeo bMso.s otf t hesnee wleym ploymeodt hers
wilhla vmeo rei ncomteh atnh ehya do nw elf,as roet heoifrf i­
ciaplo vteyrr atwei lflal lB.u tt hewyi lall shoa vmeo ree xpenses
thatnh ehya do nw elafrea,n dt hewyi lgle fte wenro ncabsehn ­
efi.t Esdina ndL einf'nisd ingdsr amatizel iktehrleey s ult.
Betwee1n9 88an d1 992m,o thewrhso helldo w-wajgoeb s
reporstuebds tanmtoiraeli lnyc omteh atnh osweh oc ollected
welafreb,u tt heayl sroe pormtoedr eh ardshIiftp h.ip sa ttern
persiisnt st he ayheeaartdsi, m lei miwtislp lr obabbrliyn bgo th
a decliinne tohfiefc ipaolv errtayta en da ni ncreiansm aet erial
harsdhip.
OFFICISATLA TISTVIECRSS US RBEUADLG ETS
Measuriinncgo miese xtorradinadriiffilcyuU lntt.1i l94 0t heC en­
suBsu readui dn ote vetnr tyo a skA mericaabnosu tth eiinrc ome
becautshee suwbajsec cotn sidteorosee dn si.Nt oiwvt ehe bureau
askpse opalbeo utth eir ianlctloh mete i m,eb uto nltyw o-thirds
oft hen aotni'hso usehoalndssw earl tlh eb ureaquu'ess ntsi.o
Thosweh od oa nsweorf temna kem isteaskS.o mee vepnr ovide
delibermaitselleya idnifnognt niaoInn.g enaelrf,am ilitehsag te t
mosotf t heiinrc omfer oma regulpaaryc heocrpk e nsicohne ck
seemt or epotrhte iinrc omqeu itaec curaBtuetlt yh.ep oogre t
moreo ft heiinrc omfer omi rergulsaoru rsc,ae nds ucihn comies
notw ell reported.
Sometimtehser esultdiantgas eemi mplausaitbb lees t.
Accordtiont gh eC ensuBsu reafuo,er xapmle1,. m5i llsiionng le
mothehrasdc asihn combeesl o$w5 0,00i n1 99T2h.e smeo thers
typichaaldlt wyo c hielndM.ro sgto tf oosdt ampasn dM edicaid,
buto nlay minorliitvye idns ubsidhiozuesdi. n1Tga kintgh ese
womenr'esp oritnecdo maetf acev aluiem pltiheastt h epya ifdo r
theriern utt,i littriaenss,pt oirotcnal,o thlianugn, darnyd,o ther
expensfersoma monthbluyd geotfl estsh a$n4 20A.l moshta lf
appearteobd e l ivionngl estsh a$n2 0a0 m onth.
Forewo•r d
Xl
Onew ayt os eew hethfearm liierse allliyvo en s ucthi ny
sumsi st ol ooakt t heL aboDre partment's ECxopnesnudmie­r
turSeu rv(eCyE SA)c.c ordtion gt ChEeS f,am iliweist ihn comes
belo$w5, 00i0n1 99t2o oikn a na veraogfe on$l18y0a month.2
Yett hesfeam iliteoslt dh eC ESt hatth ehya ds penta vaenr age
of$ 11,00a monthT.h icso nfirtmhsec ommon-sebneslei ef
thafta mliiecsa nnolti voen a irB.u tw e stinlele dt oe xplain
howt hesfeam ilimeasn agteos pensdi txi meass muacsht hey
takien .
Aska ne conomtihsiqtsu estainodny ouw ilgle ta standard
answeLro.w -incfoammiel iaepsp etaorl ivbee yontdh eir means
becautsheea yr oen ltye mporaproiolrWy.h ent heiinrc omdeisp ,
they suasvei ,nc grsedciatr ,do srl oanfsro mr elattiovs emso oth
theciorn sump.tW ihoennt heiinrc omreiss teh,e y retphaeyi r
detbsT.h iesx planamtaikoenss e nsfeo rf amiliiensw hicthh e
breadwihnanesjr u st al sotseta jdoybo rt hef amibluys iniess s
losimnogn eyB.u ts ingmloet hewrhso r epoirntc ombeesl ow
$5,00s0e ldohma ve saovric nrgesdc iatr ,da sndm osstt apyo or
foar lotnigm. eH owd ot hemya nage?
MakinEgn dsM eesth owtsh aatl moasltpl o osri ngmloet h­
erss upplemtehnetri erg luairn comwei tsho mec ombinaotfi on
of-fthe-boeomkpsl oymeanntdm oneyf romr elatilvoevse,r s,
andt hef atherosft hecihri ldrFeewnk .e epa recoorfds uch
incomEev.e ni ft hekyn ewt hea nnuatolt atlh,ew yo ulndo t
necessarreiploiyrt tt o t heC ensuBsu reasui,n cteh edyo n ot
repoirttt o t heI nternRaelv enSueer viSceec.r etiviesen sepses­
cialcloym mona mongwe lfarreec ipiaelnmtosas,lt ol f w hom
haven on-waerleif ncomteh at tchoenyc efarlo mt hew elfare
department.
Takinagc couonfit r ergulianrc omhea sa dramaetffiecct o n
ourp ictoufrw ee lfare m'eo ctohneormssituca stC.o nsiIdlelri nois,
a fairtlpyyi csatla tthea Etd isnt udiiendt ensfirvoeml1 y9 8t8o
1 990.D urin1g99 0a nI llimnootihsew ri tthw oc hildarnednn o
othienrc omgeo t$ 36a7m ontfhor mA idt oF amiliesD epweinth­
denCth ild(rAeFnD .CS3)h eg oatn oth$e5r0a m ontifht hefa ther
ofh erc hildmraednec hild supapypmoernttt ots h es ta.t( eItfh e
fathepra imdo re t$h5a0tn,h set akteep tth er e.s)Itf s hew ork,ed
shec oulkde eaps maplalr otfh ere arnintgosc o vewro rk-related
expeenssb,u ta nythbienygo ntdh aatm ounwta ss ubtrafcrtoemd
xii MakinEgn dsM eet
herA FDCc hecMko.s Itl liwneolifsa rreec ipienttsh ewreefroer e
expectteold i voen l estsh a$n5, 00a0 yeianrc ashp,lu fso od
stamapnsd M edicaid.
MosItl liwneolifsar reec ipileinvitenst h eC hicaagroe aan,d
moslti vienu nsubsihdoiuzseidEn vge.in n Chicwaogrosn'tes i gh­
borhoodsu,n subsidaipzaerdt meanltmso asltw aycso satt l east
$35a0m ontihn 1 99A0n.o ptimmiisgtht th itnhka wte lfamroet h­
ersso mehofwou ndu nusuaclhleyaa pp atrmen,tb sut whEedni n
askefdo rCthyi camgoot heirnus n subsihdoiuzseidhn ogwm uch
thepya iodn,l oyn es penlte stsh a$n3 0a0n do nlfyi vsep enlte ss
tha$n3 05.E dianl sion tervifeorwnetdl wienlef awroer kewrhso
routincehleyc kerde cipiernetnsts' t ubTsh.e sei nformants
confirmtehda wth enw elfarreec ipileinvteisdn u nsubsidized
apartmtehnetuyss uaslpleyn atb ouatsm uchf orre natst hegyo t
form AFDC.
Nonehteletshse,rw ea sn op ubldiics cusosfih oownw elfare
recipipeanittdhs e oitrh beir lTlhsem. o sotb vioeuxsp lanaftoiro n
thiwsa sp olitiCcoanls.er vadtiidvn eostr aisteh eq uestion
becautsheed yi ndo wta ntto d raawt tenttoit ohnfe a ctth aAtF DC
benefiwtesr et ool owt os upopratf ami.Ll iyberwaelrsee qually
relucttoad nits ctuhseis s subee,c autsheed yi ndo wta nt to admit
tharte cipiweenrtebs a lanctihnegbi urd gewtist hu nreported
incomTeh.i cso nspiroafsc iyl enecnec ouratgheepd u bltioc
imagitnhea wte lfarreec ipiceonutlgsde tb y onw hatevtehre
legislcahtoustreoeg ivteh emO.n cet hep ublaiccc eptsc otmh­is
fortaisnsgu mptiitbo enc,o mneast utroac lu bte nefiwthse never
thes tabtued gteitg ehnts.
Im ysenlefv etrh ougshetr ioaubsloyuh to ww elfarreec ipi­
entcso ulldi ve $o3n0o 0r $ 40a0 montuhn tKialt hrEydni n
forcemde tod os oT.h ihsa ppenqeudi tfoer ittuousIln1y 9.8 3
and1 98F5a yC ooka ndS usaMna yemry, c olleaagtuN eosr th­
westeUrnni verasnidtI hy a,d c onducttweotd e lephsounrev eys
inw hicwhe askeCdh icargeos idwehnettsh tehre hya dr ecently
experievnacreidom uast erhiaarld shsiupcsah,s g oinhgu ngry,
nots eeiand go ctwohre nt hetyh ougthhte nye edetdr eatment,
orh avitnhge uitri listhiuoetfs fW .e fuonda lootf h ardshBiupt.
al ootf f amilwiietsvh e rlyo wi ncomaelss soa itdh atth ehya d
note xperieanncyoe fdt heh ardshwiep lsi stFeodl.l owsitnagn ­
daredc onomliocg iwce, a ssumtehda mto sotf t hesfeam ilies