Welfare Time Limits: Symbolism and Practice
Abstract
This paper exunmes time limits on the receipt of welfme, based on expuiences in the IJnited Smtes mA, since 2002 , in British ColvLmbia, the only prouince to haorc inuoduced time limits in Canada. In effect, time lmtis sutrt the 'clock' rwvturg and when the ame has exptred, welfme rectpten* become subject to penalaes, up to lifetime excluion from welfare. The paper beglns by describing the intro&rction of nne limi* in rhe U . S . a1d Cawdn , denilmg the often compbx policies themselues . h then reqiews the resecuch euidence , drawing pnmnily on rhe U.S. experience thathas been more ful\ eualtmted. Oq.,erall, the research slnws th&t nme limits are both philosophically tlawed ad a blunt atd ineff ective policy tool . Proponen* of nme limi* adq.,ocate their rce as part of a pacbtge of meanues desiyed n change the behauiow' of indiwdtnk and to reduce welfare "dependency." Instead, the resemch shows that those who reach tvme limits face mulnple baniers to employment. In practical terms , recognition of the hwnan costs of time limits in both the U . S . and British Cohtmbia has led to the deuelopmem of broad exemptions and extensiotu. Vlhile this has negated many of the impacts of time limits, the powerful symbolism remains . The ln'esence of timelimits graphically highligh* the transformedpurpose cmd scope of welfare. As such, while the practical impact in Brinsh Colvunbia hns been significcmtly reduced, time limits continue to cast an ominous shrtdow oaer those in need of rasistutce. Cet arncle traite des restictions impos6es dans la dtude des b1ndfices de I'asistance socisle . IL se base sw les exp6riences menles aux Ents-Unis et, depuis 2002 , en Colombie Britntnique, la seub pro+,ince cavdienne d" auoir inwoduit de telles restnctions . I-a restric. tion ternpctrelle conslste d ce qu'wtehorloge se met enmarche et quonlle temps alloue s'est 6couli, les bdn1ficiaires de I'assistmtce sociale font alors l'objet de sanctions qui uctnt jusqu'd letu exclusion d s,ie de l'assistance sociale. Tout d'abord, nous ddcrirons les mestnes restrictives dans le remps mises en place aux Ents.Unis et au Canada, et traiterons des denik de ces politiques complexes . Noru ,iualuerons ensuite les rdsul'r;-s des recherches existnntes, menles sln'toLtt cux E-[J , pays qui a fait I' objet des plw nombt'euses 1uah.ntions . De fa on gd.ndrale , Ia recherche montre que Ie phdnomine de resnictions temporelles repose sllr Ltne conception philosophique nuisible et reyasente Lm outil gr"ossier et infficace de polidrye sociab. Ceux qui soutien. nent ces meswes Ie font dcn'ts l'optique de modifier le cornportement dcs indiuidus en uue de r6.duire lew'dependrutce' enuers I'assista.tce sociale. La recherche montre, rcut au contraire, que les persormes qui sont confront€.s d ces limites font face d de multipte obstacles qui emp€chent lew' accis d I' emploi , Drms les faits,ltr recortnaissance des cofts lunnains qu'ont engendr1s ces meslnes de restriction dans le temps irnposl.es cnLx EU et en colombie Britannique a entra"n6. Ie diueloppement de mlcrmismes d'exception et d'extension. Bien que ces ajustements soient reuenus sw de nombreux effets n1.gatifs de ces restrictiorc temporelles , le pouuoir d'ru't tel symbolisme s'est maintenu en place. Un tel cadre de rdf1rence souligne Ia tronsformation profonde sltraenue dans l'objectif et dans la portde de l'assistance sociale. En colombie Britannique , en particulier, bien qr,rc I' irnpact concret dc cette meswe ait 6td considerablcment rdduit, les resuictions temporelles continuent de ieter une ombre sdudre sw les personnes qui bl.ndficient de I'assistance sociale.
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