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In fall 2011, the Social Research Institute (SRI) of the University of Utah’s College of Social Work partnered with Utah’s Department of Workforce Services (DWS) to conduct a longitudinal study of new FEP participants beginning their experience with cash assistance, following a significant redesign of the FEP program.

Since October 2009, the Humanitarian Center Program has provided daily jobs skills training (4 hours) and English language classes (4 hours) to refugees seeking to gain employment to help support themselves and their families. This partnership program between Utah’s Department of Workforce Services (DWS) and the LDS church seeks to “help participants improve their employable skills so that they will be job-ready and able to move into family-supporting paid employment at some time within approximately 12 months of program entry.”

With the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 the focus of public assistance shifted from income maintenance to employment. There has been much debate as to whether it is more effective to focus first on education or work activities in order to reach this goal. The literature suggests that a mixture of work activities supported by education is most effective (Gueron and Hamilton, 2002) unless the person has no basic education. In this case, it is best for the individual, their children and society to focus on education.

In early 2004 the issue of a "pause the clock" proposal was gaining more attention from community advocates and being introduced to DWS management. The TANF review study research group from the Social Research Institute (SRI) was asked to begin gathering data regarding the need for such a provision.