Marketplace®

Daily business news and economic stories
May 22, 2023

Inside the discriminatory origins of welfare work requirements

The scramble to raise the nation’s debt ceiling has featured prominent calls by Republicans to impose stricter work requirements for recipients of welfare. But today’s debate on Capitol Hill stems from a much older fight over how the poor qualify for benefits. We spoke with Krissy Clark, host of Marketplace’s investigative podcast The Uncertain Hour, about how racial bias played into the formation and early implementation of the rules we know today. And, this summer travel season may be record-setting, according to experts, as the pandemic emergency officially comes to an end worldwide. 

Download
Inside the discriminatory origins of welfare work requirements
Tim Boyle/Getty Images

Subscribe:

Segments From This Episode

The Team