By Teon Hayes and Akeisha Latch

Work requirements are policies that remove or restrict access to important public benefits such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and housing assistance programs. Under work requirements, access to these benefits is denied if applicants cannot demonstrate that they either are completing or are exempt from a certain number of hours of work or work-related activities. Most people who use public benefits programs either already work, have a disability, and/or have significant caregiving responsibilities. 

Work requirements are one of the legacies of racist narratives such as Black people and other people of color must be coerced into work. Yet the reality is that Black people have worked tirelessly throughout history, immeasurably contributing to this country’s progress. Even so, work requirements persist, fueled by misconceptions and prejudice.  

Extensive research has shown that work requirements do not lead to better employment and economic outcomes. Instead, they create unnecessary barriers for people with low incomes,  and especially for people of color. While public benefits provide critical care and support to millions of individuals and families, they also reinforce structures of oppression. Policymakers must dismantle the racist and oppressive systems, structures, and ideologies that continue to undermine the ability of federal benefit programs to provide the necessary support to all who need it.  

Not only are work requirements propped up by racist stereotypes, but they also deepen poverty and disproportionately affect communities of color. For example, Black people receiving TANF are significantly more likely to be sanctioned than white recipients are. Black people already face disproportionate barriers in the labor force. Work requirements maintain racial inequity and punish people of color with low incomes, reinforcing the exploited relationship between poverty and Blackness.  

This timeline highlights the history and foundation of work requirements and examines the evolution of racialized narratives in both federal legislation and state actions regarding who deserves aid. 

 Embark on a historical journey to uncover how the origins of work requirements are deeply intertwined with the racist foundations of our nation.  

Click below to download the full timeline and explore:

The Racist Roots of Work Requirements in Public Benefits Programs