The welfare reform legislation of 1996 marked a pivotal shift in the United States welfare system, introducing important changes that included lifetime limits on federally funded welfare benefits, strict work requirements, financial penalties for noncompliance, and a focus on employment and self-reliance for welfare recipients. Connecticut’s Jobs First initiative, launched before the federal law passed, embodied many of the same features—including more stringent work requirements and time-limited benefits—but also included financial incentives to encourage employment. An evaluation of the initiative showed that it promoted employment and decreased welfare dependency within its first four years, particularly for recipients facing the most significant employment obstacles.

However, questions remain about whether the “work-first” welfare system increased family earnings and employment over the long run, reduced persistent poverty, and improved the lives of the adults and their children. This brief, part of the Learning from Administrative Data initiative, assesses the impacts of Connecticut’s Jobs First through 18 years using data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics program. This brief presents impacts on employment and earnings for the full sample and selected subgroups and examines the implications of using in-state data versus national data to assess the impacts of welfare-to-work and workforce development programs.