蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
Labor Market Attachment and Perceived Barriers to Work among Homeless Families
蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
vol. 115,
May 2025
(pp. 103–07)
Abstract
We study labor market attachment among homeless families using baseline survey data from a large-scale study in Illinois. Of homeless parents, 40 percent worked in the past month. Among those not working, most report wanting and actively searching for a job. When asked about barriers to employment, parents overwhelmingly cite childcare constraints, lack of housing, lack of transportation, and family responsibilities. Health problems or skills deficits are mentioned far less frequently. The nature of these barriers鈥攅ach associated with upfront investments鈥攕uggests that homeless families lack the initial financial resources needed to obtain stable employment.Citation
Abdul-Razzak, Nour, John Eric Humphries, Stephen Stapleton, and Winnie van Dijk. 2025. "Labor Market Attachment and Perceived Barriers to Work among Homeless Families." 蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings 115: 103–07. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20251007Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- I38 Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
- J12 Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure; Domestic Abuse
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- J22 Time Allocation and Labor Supply
- J64 Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
- R38 Production Analysis and Firm Location: Government Policy