Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Highlights
- The study's objective was to examine the impact of reemployment programs on public benefits receipt, employment, and earnings outcomes. This profile focuses on the comparison between the Idaho Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) program and the control group. The authors investigated similar research questions for other contrasts, the profiles of which can be found here:
- The study was a randomized controlled trial at the Idaho site. Using unemployment insurance (UI) claims data and wage records collected by the state of Idaho, the authors conducted statistical models to compare the outcomes between treatment and control group members.
- The study found significant negative relationships between participation in the Idaho REA program and collecting and exhausting regular and emergency UI benefits. Additionally, the study found significant positive relationships between the REA program and employment and earnings.
- This study receives a high evidence rating. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Idaho Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) program, and not to other factors.
Intervention Examined
The Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) Initiative in Idaho
Features of the Intervention
The Idaho REA program was the state implementation of the larger Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment framework, supported by the US government. The REA program was created to encourage reemployment and reduce burden imposed on unemployment insurance (UI) programs through the establishment of eligibility reviews to ensure that beneficiaries were eligible for benefits. REA program participants in Idaho were required to complete eligibility reviews online and if selected for follow-up, they were also required to attend additional reviews in-person at local public employment offices.
Features of the Study
This study was part of a three-site investigation of reemployment programs during the Great Recession. This profile focuses on the Idaho REA vs. control group analysis.
The study used a randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of the Idaho REA program. To be eligible, participants had to be receiving UI benefits in the state of Idaho and be REA service eligible due to increased risk of exhausting their regular UI benefits. Of the 12,645 eligible UI recipients, 9,950 were assigned to REA and 2,695 were assigned to the control group. Participants who were randomly assigned to the REA treatment group were required to complete the eligibility review and received notification letters of the requirement when they collected their first weekly UI payment. A subsample of participants was required to complete phone calls or in person visits to verify employer contacts and job search services. Participants randomly assigned to the control group were services eligible; however, they were not required to fulfill the program requirements to continue receiving UI benefits. The majority of the study sample were male and White, had a high school diploma or above, and were blue collar workers. Data sources included UI claims data and wage records collected by the state of Idaho. The authors used statistical models to compare the outcomes of treatment and control group members.
Findings
Public benefits receipt
- The study found that participation in the Idaho REA program had a significant negative effect on exhausting regular UI benefits, the number of weeks regular UI benefits were received, and the dollar amount of regular UI received.
- The study found that participation in the Idaho REA program also had a significant negative effect on collecting Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC), exhausting EUC benefits, the number of weeks EUC benefits were received, and the dollar amount of EUC received.
Employment
- The study found that participation in the Idaho REA program had a significant positive effect on employment rates in quarters 2-4 following program entry.
Earnings and wages
- The study found that participation in the Idaho REA program had a significant positive effect on earnings in quarters 2 and 3 following program entry.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Idaho Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) program, and not to other factors.