Partnerships to Improve Employment and Self-Sufficiency Outcomes

In FY 1996 ORR undertook a joint effort with States to improve State performance in refugee employment and self-sufficiency outcomes. States and California counties have been required since FY 1996 to establish annual outcome goals aimed at continuous improvement of performance along the following six outcome measures:

ORR tracked State and county performance throughout the year, with FY 2002 performance reported as follows:

These performance measure outcomes must be viewed in the overall context of decreasing arrival numbers. A caseload is defined as the unduplicated number of active employable adults enrolled in employment services. In FY 2002 the caseload decreased by eleven percent. The rate of job placements increased by two percent, and 77 percent of refugees who found employment retained their employment for at least ninety days, a six percent increase from FY 2001. Sixty-four percent of full-time placements offered health insurance, compared to 69 percent the year before.

Nineteen States and two California counties exceeded their entered employments from last year. Twenty-three States and four California counties increased the number of cash assistance terminations over the previous year. Eight States (Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia) reported that every cash assistance recipient placed in employment terminated assistance after job placement. In Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas, and Vermont, 90 percent or more of the cash assistance recipients placed in employment terminated assistance after job placement.

Nineteen States and five California counties improved the job retention rate over the previous year. Alabama, Arkansas, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and West Virginia reported retention rates of 100 percent. Retention rates of over 90 percent were reported in District of Colombia, Idaho and Indiana. Among the California counties, Orange and San Diego reported a retention rate of 100 percent.

FY 2002 saw significant improvement in the quality of jobs found for refugees. Twenty-three States and seven California counties reported higher wages at placement than in FY 2001. In FY 2002, thirty States and seven California counties reported higher wages than the average aggregate wage for all States ($7.80). Arkansas ($11.16), Hawaii ($11.09), Massachusetts ($9.78), South Dakota ($9.20), District of Columbia ($9.15), New York ($9.13), Mississippi ($8.95), Colorado ($8.68), Minnesota ($8.65), Wisconsin ($8.63), Delaware ($8.55), San Francisco County ($11.65), San Joaquin County ($10.00), Santa Clara County ($9.22), Yolo County ($9.20) and Alameda County ($9.15) reported the highest average wage at placement. Forty-two States and nine California counties reported average wage at placement of $7.00 or above.

ORR also tracked the cost per job placement in each State and California County. This measure is the ratio of the total funds used by the State for employment services divided by the number of entered employments recorded during the fiscal year. The State average unit cost was $2,025 per job placement.The range was quite wide, however, from a low of $481 per placement (Indiana) to a high of $7,167 per placement (Washington). In California counties, unit costs ranged from $1,506 per placement (San Joaquin) to $8,090 per placement (San Francisco). California’s overall average unit cost was $3,340.

The accompanying tables summarize the FY 2001 and FY 2002 outcomes by State. The caseload presented for each State and county consists of the number of refugees with whom a service provider had regular and direct involvement during the fiscal year in planned employment-related activities for the purpose of assisting the refugee to find or retain employment. For terminations, reductions, and retentions, each goal and outcome is also described as a percentage of entered employments. Some States opted to express terminations and reductions as a percentage of refugee cash assistance recipients who entered employment, rather than as a percentage of all refugees who entered employment. Health benefit availability is presented as a percentage of full-time entered employments.

All States (Aggregate)	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	90,867		80,845
Entered Employment	45,893	51%	43,211	53%
Terminations	14,472	63%	10,462	60%
Reductions	3,120	14%	2,034	12%
Average Wage	$7.82		$7.80
Retention	31,233	71%	31,216	77%
Health Benefits	27,319	69%	23,054	64%

Alabama	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	68		74
Entered Employments	68	101%	74	100%
Terminations	0	0%	4	50%
Reductions	0	0%	1	13%
Average Wage	$6.59		$6.95
Retentions	68	100%	66	100%
Health Benefits	47	69%	42	69%

In Alabama, arriving refugees seldom go on assistance. Its entered employments thus produced no cash assistance terminations and no reductions.

Arizona	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	1,115		1068
Entered Employments	910	82%	867	81%
Terminations	564	81%	487	68%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	16 $6.94 739 848	2%   82% 96%	0 $7.60 743 762	0%   82% 92%

In FY 2002 cash assistance termination and reduction rates are based on entered employments of refugees actually receiving assistance.

Arkansas	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	12		6
Entered Employments	12	100%	6	100%
Terminations	0	0%	0	0%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	0 $9.28 12 12	0%   100% 100%	0 $11.16 6 6	0%   100% 100%

In FY 2002 cash assistance terminations were based on entered employments of refugees actually receiving assistance.

Colorado	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	325		576
Entered Employments	125	38%	360	63%
Terminations	4	100%	240	83%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	0 $8.64 108 102	0%   78% 84%	3 $8.68 284 301	1%   44% 97%

Colorado expresses cash assistance terminations and reductions as a percentage of cash assistance recipients who entered employment, rather than all refugees who entered employment.

Connecticut	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	990		655
Entered Employments	610	62%	493	75%
Terminations	152	81%	98	70%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	5 $7.90 402 382	3%   62% 69%	43 $7.86 270 370	30%   55% 89%

Connecticut expresses cash assistance terminations and reductions as a percentage of cash assistance recipients who entered employment, rather than all refugees who entered employment.

Delaware	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	31		45
Entered Employments	31	100%	17	38%
Terminations	11	35%	10	77%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	0 $8.03 15 28	0%   83% 97%	0 $8.55 8 14	0%   18% 88%

Delaware has presented its data on terminations as a percentage of cash assistance recipients who entered employment.

Dist. of Columbia	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	280		483
Entered Employments	205	73%	346	72%
Terminations	64	88 %	82	79%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	9 $8.06 164 96	12%   80% 54%	22 $9.15 293 180	21%   97% 71%

Florida	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	27,709		25,517
Entered Employments	9,724	35%	10,745	42%
Terminations	4,291	85%	3,404	88%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	0 $6.62 6,464 4,602	0%   63% 51%	0 $6.81 9,087 4,195	0%   87% 43%

Due to low assistance payment levels, almost all refugees who enter employment terminate assistance.

Georgia	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	2,620		2,998
Entered Employments	1,926	73%	1,870	62%
Terminations	278	80%	40	42%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	0 $7.73 1,276 1,267	0%   64% 69%	0 $7.80 1,461 1,203	0%   72% 68%

In FY 2002 Georgia presented its data on terminations and reductions as a percentage of cash assistance recipients who entered employment.

Hawaii	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	24		141
Entered Employments	14	58%	72		51%
Terminations	12	86%	3		25%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	2 $5.55 11 2	14%   65% 100%	0 $11.09 36 5		4%   50% 9%

Idaho	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	263		445
Entered Employments	218	83%	158	82%
Terminations	133	72%	94	77%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	0 $7.02 180 139	0%   83% 74%	0 $6.72 192 99	0%   92% 77%

Idaho’s benefits are very low, most full-time placements result in termination, rather than reduction of benefits.

Illinois	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	3,451		2200
Entered Employments	1,610	47%	1,380	63%
Terminations	441	41%	253	47%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	268 $8.39 1,172 1,109	25%   73% 80%	166 $8.02 882 795	31%   65% 70%

Illinois has presented its data on reductions and terminations as a percentage of cash assistance recipients who entered employment.

Indiana	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	176		320
Entered Employments	176	100%	252	79%
Terminations	38	40%	8	18%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	14 $7.00 229 176	15%   93% 100%	0 $7.00 158 160	0%   91% 63%

Indiana has presented its data on reductions and terminations as a percentage of cash assistance recipients who entered employment.

Iowa	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	1241		1,183
Entered Employments	776	63%	687	58%
Terminations	149	39%	154	47%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	24 $8.36 586 529	6%   70% 97%	81 $8.05 613 422	25%   89% 89%

In Iowa, welfare recipients may receive an unreduced check for up to four months after employment begins. As a consequence, the State recorded few cash assistance reductions.

Kansas	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	267		279
Entered Employments	120	45%	141	51%
Terminations	21	66%	9	30%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	2 $9.26 117 100	6%   96% 96%	5 $8.30 115 107	8%   86% 84%

Kentucky	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	1018		673
Entered Employments	837	82%	491	73%
Terminations	886	90%	332	69%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	0 $8.09 881 692	0%   89% 83%	31 $7.45 481 408	6%   92% 83%

Louisiana	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	175		158
Entered Employments	143	82%	100	63%
Terminations	48	64%	27	60%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	15 $6.23 92 37	20%   72% 30%	18 $6.44 80 44	40%   80% 50%

Maine	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	268		246
Entered Employments	200	75%	187	76%
Terminations	31	34%	39	35%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	57 $8.63 167 93	63%   88% 62%	58 $8.32 190 78	53%   97% 61%

In Maine, many jobs are of a temporary and seasonal nature therefore do not result in cash assistance terminations.

Maryland	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	817		730
Entered Employments	502	61%	503	69%
Terminations	234	100%	147	100%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	0 $8.12 353 380	0%   74% 85%	0 $7.88 450 372	0%   80% 92%

In Maryland, the cash assistance termination rate is based on entered employments of refugees actually receiving assistance.

Massachusetts	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	1,612		1289
Entered Employments	1,114	69%	905	70%
Terminations	534	48%	363	64%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	231 $9.76 809 779	21%   93% 85%	189 $9.78 709 561	33%   75% 84%

Michigan	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	2,942		2,712
Entered Employments	1,870	64%	1,462	54%
Terminations	781	81%	493	84%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	97 $8.00 1,433 1,461	11%   75% 90%	73 $7.90 1,167 945	12%   72% 80%

Michigan’s cash assistance termination and reduction rates are based on entered employments of refugees actually receiving assistance.

Minnesota	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	3,493		1,703
Entered Employments	1,288	37%	1,219	72%
Terminations	345	61%	164	35%
Reductions Average Wage Retentions Health Benefits	211 $8.69 438 888	37%   34% 91%	111 $8.65 289 718	24%   25% 79%

Mississippi	FY 2001		FY 2002
Caseload	451		389
Entered Employments	330	73%	258	66%
Terminations	16	100%	17	100%