Researchers Say Evidence is Clear: Work Requirements Aren’t Effective
Posted by Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity on June 10, 2025
In this Spotlight Exclusive we highlight a recent webinar on “Work Requirements and Safety Net Coverage” hosted by the Institute for Research on Poverty. The event brought together leading scholars to examine the impact of work requirements on safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP. “I think the preponderance of the evidence here shows that work requirements don’t kind of achieve their stated goals,” said Chima Ndumele, associate professor of Health Policy at Yale University. “They are largely ineffective. And a growing body of work is starting to show that they’re inefficient as well.” The panelists noted that recipients already face significant barriers to work and that SNAP and Medicaid often serve as support during periods of hardship—not disincentives to employment. Associate professor at the University of Colorado-Denver Chloe East referenced her own research that showed that SNAP recipients do not seek employment any more or less than non-recipients.
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