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Study: Majority Receiving Public Assistance Are Working Poor

A study out today finds nearly three-quarters of people who receive public assistance benefits from the government belong to a working family.

The report from University of California, Berkeley, says low-wage jobs have left federal and state governments holding the tab for higher medicaid, food stamp and child subsidy payouts. Researchers say the cost to taxpayers is now $153 billion a year.

Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson speaks to Ken Jacobs, chair of the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education, about the recent study and what it means for federal aid and low-wage workers.

Guest

  • Ken Jacobs, chair of the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education.

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