Work is the cornerstone of welfare reform.
Research has demonstrated that early connection to the labor force helps welfare recipients make important steps toward self-sufficiency. The rigorous work participation requirements embodied in the legislation provide strong incentives to States to concentrate their resources in this crucial area. This summary section makes the legislation's focus on work and the requirements for work clear, while other sections address each of these areas in more detail. This section of the proposed regulations describes what a State must do to meet the overall and two-parent work participation rates. It explains that a State must submit data to allow us to measure each State's success with the work participation rates.