Subsidized employment programs use public funds to create temporary job opportunities for people looking for work. These programs have existed in varying forms for decades, but there has recently been renewed interest in these models with the increased recognition of the success of worker-based training as a promising method that benefits both the employee and employer.

This brief by former research assistant Randi Hall is informed by the literature on subsidized employment and makes recommendations on how programs can be targeted at improving the long-term employability of adults and youth with severe barriers to employment.