Labor Market Attachment and Perceived Barriers to Work among Homeless Families

We study labor market attachment among homeless families using baseline survey data from a large-scale study in Illinois. Of homeless parents, 40 percent worked in the past month. Among those not working, most report wanting and actively searching for a job. When asked about barriers to employment, parents overwhelmingly cite childcare constraints, lack of housing, lack of transportation, and family responsibilities. Health problems or skills deficits are mentioned far less frequently. The nature of these barriers--each associated with upfront investments--suggests that homeless families lack the initial financial resources needed to obtain stable employment.