Administrative Data Matching-Maryland

Tracking Recipients after They Leave Welfare

Administrative Data Matching-Maryland

Life After Welfare: Third Interim Report

Date: March 1999

Investigator: Welfare and Child Support Research and Training Unit, School of Social Work, University of Maryland

Contact Person: Catherine Born (410) 706-5134

Method - Data matches between closed cases and administrative records (welfare, child support, and unemployment insurance). Every month, a 5% random sample is taken of closed cases, a total of 3,171 cases in the 18 months reported. These cases are then matched with administrative records that will report whether the persons earned wages in a job covered by the unemployment insurance system or returned to the welfare rolls. Maryland is also undertaking interviews of ex-recipients, but they are not yet complete.

Findings in Brief

Did ex-recipient have UI reported earnings? (excluding child only cases)

UI reported wages in the first quarter after they left welfare		52.4%
	Median quarterly income of $2039 over 3 months for employed

UI reported wages in the second quarter after they left welfare		52.6%
	Median quarterly income of $2107 over three months for employed

UI reported wages in the third quarter after they left welfare		51.9%
	Median quarterly income of $2193 over three months for employed

UI reported wages in the fourth quarter after they left welfare		54.0%
	Median quarterly income of $2279 over three months for employed

UI reported wages in the fifth quarter after they left welfare		51.4%
	Median quarterly income of $2417 over three months for employed

Note: Ex-recipients who are identified as working in a quarter may not have worked during all three months of the quarter, so it is not possible to estimate monthly earnings straightforwardly.
Among those recipients with a previous wage history, 64.3% worked in the first quarter after they left welfare.

Types of employment

Employed in wholesale and retail trade, including bars & restaurants		35.0%
Employed in personal services, including temp agencies		23.3%
Employed in organizational services, including nursing homes & hospitals		20.5%

Maryland
Reasons for leaving welfare (from welfare records):

Income above eligibility limit		19.1%
Failure to reapply or complete re-determination process		17.1%
Failure to give eligibility information		14.4%
Client started work / has higher wages		9.8%
Client requested closure		8.5%
Full family sanction		8.0%

Families returning to welfare

Returned in first three months	19.7%	(over 2/3 within 30 days)
Returned within 6 months	23.1%
Returned within 12 months	24.2%

Families receiving full family sanction returning w/in 3 months	35.6%

Child welfare and foster care - Of 3,467 children whose families left welfare, 15 were placed in foster care after case closure (from second interim report).
For more information please contact Jack Tweedie or Dana Reichert at NCSL, 303-830-2200.