Outcomes for WorkFirst Clients Taking Part in Unpaid Job Experience Programs

This report evaluates the impact of participating in the Department of Commerce 's two unpaid work preparation programs—Community Works and Career Development—using a statistically matched comparison design. We find that, when compared to similar WorkFirst clients in other work preparation activities, unpaid job participants in both programs were more likely to be employed at the end of the follow up period though their earnings were not significantly higher. Unpaid jobs participants also spent more time on TANF during the follow-up period, but were less likely to be sanctioned.