Final answer:
According to Albelda, several issues exist with the mandate to work under TANF. Work requirements may disincentivize work for some individuals, and the employment effects of reforms are small. The poorest women may be financially worse off due to the work requirements.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Albelda, there are several issues with the mandate to work that is now key to welfare under Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
One concern is that these work requirements can disincentivize work for some individuals. While there are work requirements built into the program, studies have shown that the employment effects of reforms are empirically small. For example, there was only a two percentage point increase in employment as a result of the reform. This means that the mandate to work may not be as effective as intended.
Additionally, the mandate to work can have negative effects on specific groups, particularly the poorest women. Women who are already financially vulnerable may find themselves worse off as a result of the work requirements. This can be attributed to factors such as limited access to job opportunities and lack of support services for individuals with substantial work barriers like temporary disability or domestic abuse.