The transition from welfare to work: An analysis of factors influencing women's employment patterns

Social networks are key to helping women conquer economic distress. Where socioeconomic conditions deteriorate, support networks may be key to giving individuals access to and leverage in new economic situations. Besides creating opportunities, networks are effective as well for sustaining and motivating social skills needed to pursue employment opportunities successfully. This project examined the economic situation of poor women as informed not only by government intervention but the impact of familial and community supplemental assistance. The central issue concerned the extent to which these women have useful support systems as they face welfare transition. I looked at the impact of employment patterns, welfare use, childcare resources, social isolation and social support networks on women's lives and how these factors enable women to transcend poverty as well as find and retain employment.;To do so I looked at women surveyed in the Urban Poverty and Family Life Survey of Chicago, 1987. I used logistic regression analysis to estimate the likelihood of three dependent variables; whether or not a woman was poor, if she worked for pay in the formal economy, and whether or not she worked for unreported income in the informal economy.;Being formally employed did not statistically effect poverty status. However, women who worked informally for pay were less likely to be poor than those who did not. Women who are not the sole earner in a household, who own their and have access to transportation were also less likely to be poor.;If a woman was poor she was more likely to be working formally for pay than if she was not living in poverty. Similarly, if the respondent has a history of welfare use she was more likely to work in both the formal and informal economies. Previous employment behavior was also found to be a consistent predictor of later working behavior. Overall, no lack of work ethic was found among urban women as evidenced by formal work, as well as informal work performed concurrently with welfare receipt and job hunting.;This dissertation provided a timely look at issues of urban poverty. It refutes conservative views which claim the poor choose not to work and in order to receive federal support. It also supports large scale labor market reform including the creation of jobs which pay a living wage as low-wage work does not prevent poverty. The need for greater local employment opportunities and increased transportation options for city residents is also clear.