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NYC Human Resources Administration Commissioner Robert Doar on the government’s efforts to help people find jobs.
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This shows supports limited government so reason that many in government appear on this program so I was surprised to get this ceemea.
I have admired your reporting if -- ever wanna talk to someone with experience.
Running government social service programs I would be happy to.
-- came from the boss of a big piece of the welfare state the New York City human resources administration.
The HI RA employs 151000.
People who give benefits to my neighbors food stamps home care.
Top senators and so on commissioner Robert door runs the office so welcome commissioner appreciate you coming on my thanks for having me.
So I me admire you for trying but just enough my assumption is that your -- -- your.
Bureaucracy teaches people dependency.
Well that's wrong because we have a work requirement -- welfare program.
And -- when welfare reform passed with the welfare for caseload in York city was one point one million now on the Mayor Bloomberg it's a 360000.
We enforce the work requirement aggressively he put people to work in all kinds of work experience type activity in workfare we've continued to do that we do that for single individuals on food stamps as well.
So we have a work requirement and we stress of everyday and in most audiences where I go around the city of York.
There are lots of people come -- tell me that I shouldn't do that but we still do the -- to -- That's what I -- You've got 151000.
Employees I assume they want to help people only directed the jobs but ten years in their civil service.
They're just going through the motions he can't fire the bad ones right we have something called jobs that we call our senator actors -- on a monthly basis and asked them how they doing getting people to work.
We set a goal 85000 last year.
We did it last year were -- -- to do with this year placements meaning getting get a -- get a job getting employment now.
It doesn't work for every individual not everybody steps up and we do have programs that assist people.
While they're moving toward -- but in cash welfare we stress work and we require work.
End of your 151000 employees can you fire bad once lazy once without going through unbelievable who don't even try.
Well -- civil service rules in New York are difficult to -- you have people that aren't.
To exactly what you want I would acknowledge that but by and large HR employees -- -- good job and they believe one thing you'll find and welfare policies and programs John.
Is the most conservative people on welfare are the case workers who see the welfare recipients every day because they go to work.
They're showing up every day and they expect the same for people ask for assistance.
All right as I said I suspect your programs teach dependency -- -- and -- now and then -- go to your senators and I interviewed people.
No jobs around.
Have you looked first job.
I can't quite right now because double disability is that that they left it there are no -- No jobs here that again and again then my researchers walked around within a couple blocks and found forty businesses hiring.
That a few blocks that job -- 24 offered jobs for beginners.
But they said the people -- handouts don't bother to apply.
So I wondered as I said what your employees really do with the job senator I ask a college interns so well now -- bound to go there and asked -- For help -- will tell what you did.
Her so -- went -- -- job center downtown in New York City and I said Hayek and college intern and.
And what the same -- center where they were saying there were no job that's right the exact same center.
I said I'm looking for a job what can you as to how we work.
And they told me I should go in a -- food stamps and that they wouldn't help me unless I was receiving handouts -- tried and -- jobs again I want to Kutztown.
And I went to another job center and said the same thing.
And he told me.
We don't we don't give jobs we give out food stamps.
Commissioner I can't count for every encounter an individual may have I will say this did you get -- assistance.
I did not get on did not get on assistance she didn't get a benefit I.
It's hard enough she would have been I would old looking for assistance I want to work I want and unsound he could you've gotten assistance they they were offering it to you mean I'm sure that I could've applied if I wanted to.
Well she didn't and she didn't get assistance tell the rest of your story you kept looking for jobs I did I kept looking I went to -- work -- one center up in Harlan -- chain all the way up there that same day.
They actually turning away they said we can't help yet you need to come back at 8:30 in the morning next week and go to a jobs trading session.
She could've found a job or her own more easily than going the whole.
These government help centers because eventually they got you interviewed one -- you depress the food stores.
And you talk to the manager there.
And he said what.
While I waited I went to press for an interview and it turned out it was just a public open house where anyone can -- and say we -- an hour and a half.
And finally spoke -- the manager and told him told in the story -- now workforce one.
And he said that he rarely communicate support first one he said they never call and they never asking questions.
And I asked well how are the people that they -- they are the people that you wanna hire and he said now.
The fact is that the welfare caseloads of 360000.
That's as -- as it was in 1965.
That's because we have a work requirement in New York City.
-- means that is absolutely great but I'm still think of your 151000.
Employees and we're -- unemployment pared some of it but it's like the Soviet Union we do a lot more than just cash assistance we provide public health insurance we provide adult protective services we do child support enforcement.
Which goes after deadbeat dads to make sure they pay -- were presidential and we collected 700 million dollars from.
-- without some parents last year 200 million dollars of -- to moms who used to be on welfare.
So it's a big agency it doesn't just do cash welfare in fact what's funny about our program.
Is that the old cash welfare program is much much smaller than the rest of the agency when the old days it was a big part of -- They're now Medicaid Medicare -- are much bigger programs agreed but.
Do you ever as you look at the civil service rules think she you know we're trying.
It's hard to fire people I can't really -- and to where would if I were in the private sector that charity would do would better.
Now I don't honestly and I don't think the charity all by itself would provide public health insurance for the number of people we provide in your city.
The fact is employers don't provide it to offer low wage workers.
Health insurance anymore they don't know I don't know what happened and -- future -- -- our judiciary Catholic hospitals that would take people and I don't think the hospitals would be able to survive.
With without some form of public health insurance.
And I think if we want to talk about -- for spending wanna look at those statistics.
Make sure you make a difference she should between Medicaid spending which is thirty billion dollars in New York City.
Vs cash welfare which is one billion dollars.
So there's a difference.
And Medicaid -- right health care costs are driving this country to bankruptcy.
But don't blame it on for people seeking welfare food stamps.
All right on that note thank you so well -- -- commissioner door please -- --
