In the episode “Chapter 6: The Welfare to Temp Work Pipeline” of Marketplace’s “The Uncertain Hour,” host Krissy Clark looks at the cozy relationship between for-profit welfare companies and temp companies desperate to put people to work in some of the country’s most precarious jobs.
The following statement was provided by Maximus, a company featured in the above episode.
The work we perform on behalf of the government agencies that hire Maximus is to deliver and coordinate pathways to employment. Those pathways are based upon specific needs of the individual, their knowledge, skills and abilities. In the programs we administer, two things are clear. First, Maximus does not set policy – government does. Maximus delivers programs accordingly. Second, those pathways are based upon the expressed needs of the individual, their knowledge, skills, abilities and available work opportunities.
Government workforce programs are intended to help people achieve that initial step towards self-reliance, by supporting their ability to obtain, retain, and advance in employment. Getting a job is only one step in a person’s journey to economic independence. We work with individuals to remove barriers to achieving career goals and set a plan of steps needed to achieve long-term independence. Within the framework of government policy, this can include job search skills and activities, training and certifications, a variety of employment supports, and efforts to promote job retention and advancement. People leave workforce programs for a variety of reasons. Given many variables, no program guarantees every participant will escape or remain out of poverty; it is the program’s goal to help them improve their economic independence.
Many large national employers use staffing firms to hire and provide human resource supports. This trend, while not new, has grown in recent years due to a tightening labor supply and an increasing number of open jobs that have required employers to use a variety of hiring processes. Many staffing firms and employers require some period of temporary or probationary employment before converting to permanent employment, either to ensure the person is the right fit for a job, or because the job may not be long-term. These jobs are just a first step that can lead to long-term employment either directly or by providing skills and experience for the resume.