The federal agency overseeing state administration of the welfare-to-work program (TANF) has indicated a willingness to entertain state requests to run demonstration programs waiving some of the rules around work requirements for welfare recipients. The current federal rules are quite strict in terms of what types of activities count as work, how states must verify participation in these activities, and the calculation of a state’s work participation rate (states face reductions in their TANF block grant if they fail to meet these requirements).
The agency, in an information memorandum, emphasizes that it will only consider granting waivers to states that can demonstrate that any changes will lead to a more effective system for meeting TANF’s work goals. Thus, any state receiving a waiver would have to (1) fully evaluate the demonstration and (2) meet interim targets for measuring whether any new work strategy is effectively helping a family meet the goals of the TANF program (e.g., end dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage).
The memorandum, which includes a letter the agency sent to state “human service officials” earlier this month, cites Connecticut
