WorkFirst Information for College Staff

 

WorkFirst is Washington state's welfare reform program that helps people in low-income families find jobs, keep their jobs, find better jobs and become self-sufficient.

WorkFirst Goals

What sets WorkFirst apart from other reform initiatives is a commitment to go beyond simply mandating participants to find work.

WorkFirst has three main goals:

• Reduce poverty by helping people find and keep jobs.
• Sustain independence by helping people keep and improve jobs.
• Protect children and other vulnerable residents by providing for childcare and stopgap funding for emergency situations.

WorkFirst helps participants gain skills necessary for better jobs, higher wages and further advancement. As this goal is achieved, savings from reduced caseloads have been reinvested in targeted supports to help participants be more employable and move up the wage ladder.