Do temporary help jobs improve labor market outcomes for low-skilled workers?
Subtitle: evidence from "work first"
By: [by] David H. Autor [and] Susan Houseman
Contributors: Houseman, Susan N., 1956-; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Economics
Edition: Rev.
Series: Working paper series / Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Economics -- working paper 05-26 [2010 revision]; Working paper (Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Economics) -- no. 05-26, 2010.
Publisher: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Economics
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Cambridge, MA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 44
Description: Temporary-help jobs offer rapid entry into paid employment, but they are typically brief and it is unknown whether they foster longer-term employment. We utilize the unique structure of Detroit's welfare-to-work program to identify the effect of temporary-help jobs on labor market advancement. Exploiting the rotational assignment of welfare clients to numerous nonprofit contractors with differing job placement rates, we find that temporary-help job placements do not improve and may diminish subsequent earnings and employment outcomes among participants. In contrast, job placements with direct-hire employers substantially raise earnings and employment over a seven quarter follow-up period. Keywords: Temporary-help, welfare to work, job placement, low-skill workers, causal effects. JEL Classifications: J24, J48, J62.
Notes: "October 27, 2009. Revised: March 17, 2010."

Includes bibliographical references (p. [30-33]).

Abstract in HTML and working paper for download in PDF available via World Wide Web at the Social Science Research Network.