Purpose:

  • The purpose of this project is to study the impact of an enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for low-income individuals without dependent children in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. This project will build on and leverage research being conducted for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in its collaboration with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), on HHS's Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration (STED) Paycheck Plus site.

Research Questions:

  • How can policies to make work pay help vulnerable populations increase their work, incomes, and self-sufficiency?
  • What is the take-up rate of the bonus among eligible participants?
  • How does the bonus affect employment and earnings?
  • How does the bonus affect secondary outcomes, such as benefit receipt and child support payments?

Key Components:

  • Data collection and implementation study
  • Benefit-cost report and impact evaluation
  • Special topics papers and dissemination activities

Project Duration: 72 Months

Contract End Date: September 2021

Contractor: MDRC (through HHS)

For More Information: ChiefEvaluationOffice@dol.gov

 

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy. CEO’s research development process includes extensive technical review at the design, data collection and analysis stage, including: external contractor review and OMB review and approval of data collection methods and instruments per the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), Institutional Review Board (IRB) review to ensure studies adhere to the highest ethical standards, review by academic peers (e.g., Technical Working Groups), and inputs from relevant DOL agency and program officials and CEO technical staff. Final reports undergo an additional independent expert technical review and a review for Section 508 compliance prior to publication. The resulting reports represent findings from this independent research and do not represent DOL positions or policies.