Administrative Data Matching-New York

Tracking Recipients after They Leave Welfare

Administrative Data Matching-New York

After Welfare: A Study of Work and Benefit Use After Case Closing

Date: July 1999

Investigator: The Nelson Rockefeller Institute of Government

Contact Person: Richard Nathan

Method - Data matches between records for cases headed by adults and closed for two or more months with administrative records (welfare, Medicaid, food stamps and unemployment insurance). Includes all such cases closed in New York City in January 1997 and all cases closed in January - March 1997 in the rest of the state. Statewide tabulations are weighted to account for sampling difference.

Findings in Brief

Did former recipient have UI reported earnings?

		Statewide	NYC	Rest of State
UI reported wages in the closing quarter		55%	52%	64%
	Median qtrly income	n/a	$3,256	$2,046
UI reported wages in the first quarter after they left welfare		55%	53%	63%
	Median qtrly income	n/a	$3,563	$2,468
UI reported wages in the second quarter after they left welfare		55%	53%	62%
	Median qtrly income	n/a	$3,655	$2,575
UI reported wages in the third quarter after they left welfare		53%	51%	59%
	Median qtrly income	n/a	$4,041	$2,826
UI reported wages in the fourth quarter after they left welfare		53%	52%	58%
	Median qtrly income	n/a	$3,863	$2,675
Adults employed anytime in four quarters		66%	63%	75%
	Median income during year	n/a	$11,713	$7,974
Adults continuously employed in four quarters		40%	38%	42%
	Median income during year	n/a	$17,431	$12,611

The study also attempts to correct for the underestimate of employment that results from using unemployment insurance data. A previous study on the employment of welfare recipients in New York State, carried out by a national research firm, compares survey and UI data results. It finds that the underestimate ranges from 5 to 21 percent and that earnings are underestimated by 16 to 21 percent. Using these adjustments results in these changes:

Statewide work rate during the 4^th quarter after closing from 53% to 60% Rate of adults employed anytime during 4 quarters from 66% to 71-75% Mean earnings in the 4^th quarter after closing from $4,230 to $5,034.

Families returning to welfare

	Closed cases returned	Returned cased during 4th Quarter
	in Month 12	Cases	Adults	Children
Statewide	17%	19%	16%	19%
New York City	18%	20%	16%	20%
Rest of State	12%	15%	14%	17%

Using the Rest-of-state files, the study determined that 21.1% of closed cases had returned to welfare at some point during the 12 months. No statewide or New York city estimate could be made.

Food Stamp Use

	Receiving food stamps in Month 12	Received food stamps during 4th Quarter
		Cases	Adults	Children
Statewide	23%	29%	24%	29%
New York City	22%	27%	22%	28%
Rest of State	26%	34%	33%	34%

Medicaid Use

	Enrolled in Medicaid during Month 12	Enrolled in Medicaid during 4th Quarter
		Cases	Adults	Children
Statewide	43%	48%	32%	35%
New York City	42%	47%	30%	33%
Rest of State	43%	48%	32%	35%

For More information please contact Jack Tweedie at NCSL, 303-830-2200.

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