Business Risk
Employers worry that low-income individuals are a business risk.
Despite the crucial role of employers in creating opportunities for low-wage, entry-level workers, there's little research on employers’ perspectives. This report sheds some light on the topic from data collected as part of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Jobs Initiative. Engaging Employers explores whether employers value workforce intermediaries, to what extent employers support low-income, entry-level workers in their human resources policies, and more.
Understanding why some employers support low-income, entry-level workers and others do not has important implications for workforce intermediaries. Two factors shape employers’ willingness to support workers: a desire to benefit the larger community by hiring people who need help, and a recognition that "the bottom line" limits their ability to do so.