Navigating Benefits Cliffs – Barriers and Solutions

Benefits cliffs create economic challenges for workers and employers alike. A benefits cliff may occur when an increase in income—from working more hours, getting a raise, or taking a new position—pushes a worker above the income eligibility limit for one or more public assistance programs, and the loss of assistance is greater than the value of the increase. This forces people to choose between their family's immediate financial best interest and their own longer-term wage growth and career advancement. These cliffs can also stymie employers seeking to hire workers and develop their skills through internal career pathway opportunities. On October 12, 2023, we hosted a Connecting Communities webinar with experts exploring this economic challenge from the perspective of employers, the Federal Reserve, and community leaders who help families navigate public assistance programs and plan for career advancement opportunities. In this session, we learned about tools developed by the Atlanta Fed that can identify and inform mitigation strategies. We also heard about innovation pilots including Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington D.C. that may inform the future efforts of state and community leaders working to develop solutions to the benefits cliff.