OHIO WORKFORCE COALITION

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Tackling Benefits Cliffs in Ohio: Policy, Applied Research, and Business Perspectives

Thursday, March 27, 2025 | 1:00-2:00pm

Many Ohioans face what's known as benefits cliffs - where a small increase in wages causes them to lose access to public benefits (e.g., SNAP, PFCC) that puts them further behind than if they did not have an increase in wages. The Ohio Workforce Coalition is a founding member of Economic Mobility Alliance Ohio, an alliance of organizations across the state advocating solutions to mitigate and eliminate benefits cliffs, reduce disincentives to work, and create a more seamless pathway to economic stability for all Ohioans.

March's webinar features three speakers tackling benefits cliffs from different perspectives:

Sarah Hudacek, Coalition Manager of Advocate's for Ohio's Future and Economic Mobility Alliance Ohio, will provide an overview of benefits cliffs and key policy issues facing Ohioans.

Travis Speice, Applied Research Director at The Women's Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, will introduce the Self-Sufficiency Simulator. This tool is designed to help advocates, employers, policymakers, and others understand what is means to be economically stable in Ohio today.

Brian Dicken, VP of Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, will address why the Chambers and businesses should care about benefits cliffs, and what they are doing to address cliffs.

Please join us and invite your colleagues!

When Working Isn’t Enough: Wages and Public Benefits in Ohio

The Ohio Workforce Coalition commissioned The Center for Community Solutions to investigate wages, public benefit eligibility, and benefit uptake by occupation in Ohio. Despite working - often full-time - many Ohioans still require benefit assistance (e.g., SNAP and Medicaid) to access food and medical care. This report outlines key findings from 10 low wage occupations, benefit usage by occupation, and policy recommendations. Fact sheets for each occupation (e.g., childcare worker, home health aide, assemblers and fabricators) include wages, number of job openings, projected growth, benefit eligibility, and whether Black workers are overrepresented in the low wage job.

Read the Report (English)