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Welfare Reform, Not EITC, Boosted Single Mothers' Employment

4/9/2026

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Summary

Story summary

New research argues that welfare reform reducing access to nonwork support, not the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), mainly drove rising employment among single mothers in the 1990s.
Mothers with two or more children saw larger gains than those with one child due to stricter welfare policies.
The findings challenge the view that work-conditioned benefits are beneficial and highlight hardships for families with caregiving or unstable employment.

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Story summary

New research argues that welfare reform reducing access to nonwork support, not the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), mainly drove rising employment among single mothers in the 1990s.
Mothers with two or more children saw larger gains than those with one child due to stricter welfare policies.
The findings challenge the view that work-conditioned benefits are beneficial and highlight hardships for families with caregiving or unstable employment.