Title
Kalamazoo REA evaluation
Project Dates
03/15/2015 -
Description
The Upjohn Institute is working with Mathematica and Ideas42 on a random assignment experiment evaluating an additional feature of reemployment and eligibility assessments (REA) for unemployment insurance (UI) beneficiaries in the four county area of Michigan Works! Southwest. The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded Michigan funding for REA activities in five Michigan workforce areas. One of the five areas receiving federal funding for REA is Michigan Works! Southwest including Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph counties. The core REA is a call-in program for continuing UI beneficiaries to validate they are satisfying work search eligibility requirements, and to provide them with additional reemployment services. Between March and September, a randomly assigned group of REA beneficiaries in the Michigan Works! Southwest area received an additional nudge designed on principles of behavioral economics. The nudge is a series of e-mails providing information and reminders to participate in REA and other reemployment services. Selection of treatment subjects began March 16 and ended September 28, 2015. Participant follow-up will continue into December with reports on the results soon thereafter.
Sponsorship
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. ; DOLQ129633249/DOL-OPS 4-U-00001
Subject Area
UNEMPLOYMENT, DISABILITY, and INCOME SUPPORT PROGRAMS; Unemployment insurance
Publications
Encouragement Emails Increase Participation in Reemployment Services, Matthew Darling, Christopher O'Leary, Irma Perez-Johnson, Jaclyn Lefkowitz, Ken Kline, Ben Damerow, Randall Eberts (2016)
Using Behavioral Insights to Improve Take-Up of a Reemployment Program: Trial Design and Findings,
Matthew Daring, Christopher J. O'Leary, Irma Periz-Johnson, Jaclyn Lefkowitz, Ken Kline, Ben Damerow, Randall Eberts, Samia Amin, Greg Chojnacki (May 2017)