Public Service Employment: A Field EvaluationA field study examined the Public Service Employment (PSE) Program's intergovernmental effects. Addressed during the study were such questions as whether the program creates jobs in local government, whether local governments give preference to disadvantaged persons, and what kinds of services are provided. To collect these data, a network of field researchers each devoted an average of 30 to 60 days observing the effects of PSE in a representative sample of jurisdictions that accounts for approximately 10 percent of PSE enrollees. Contrary to what others have said, designers of this study found that the PSE program has not resulted in the displacement of many local jobs by federally supported jobs. In addition, 86 PSE dollars out of 100 are stimulating the economy directly by providing salaries. While PSE was originally initiated to combat countercyclical unemployment, research indicates that in many jurisdictions the program also shows considerable potential for alleviating structural employment. Furthermore, PSE workers are providing many primary services that are important to local communities. Examination of PSE in the nonprofit sector suggests that while these organizations have a great potential for creating jobs, they do not achieve the targeting objectives of PSE as well as do local governments. (MN) |
Contents
The Public Service Employment Program | 1 |
Combating Cyclical Unemployment | 7 |
Structural Unemployment | 36 |
Copyright | |
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activities administration agen allocations assigned associate reported average Brookings field associates Brookings Institution CBOs CETA city reported Class of Jurisdiction classified Congress countercyclical counties criteria Data reported December disadvantaged distressed large cities economic eligibility requirements employing agencies Employment and Training Employment Effects enrolled evaluation expansion federal field study fiscal pressure functional area hiring Institution job creation job creation program labor market Lane Rawlins less ment MOET nonprofit agencies nonprofit organizations nonprofit sector observation occupations officials Participant Characteristics persons position position position primary services prime sponsors Principal School program maintenance project positions PSE employees PSE funding PSE jobs PSE participants PSE positions PSE program PSE workers Public Service Employment regular employees regular government reported by Brookings sample jurisdictions San Francisco Service Employment Participants skills special projects structural program subcontracting suburban sustainment positions Table tions Training Act transition types U.S. Department unemployed unions unsubsidized
