Behavioral Interventions to Improve Work Search Among UI Claimants
Results from North Carolina and Washington
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Associated Project
Key Findings
- These trials demonstrate the feasibility of quickly deploying behavioral interventions whose effectiveness is measured with administrative data, and state partners reported the collaborative design process to apply behavioral principals was useful.
- Quantitative data suggests that the interventions had limited impact, although the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic limited what researchers were able to learn in these behavioral studies, although
- Although most participants were exposed to the main intervention (in North Carolina, a weekly pop-up alert or hyperlink to a tip sheet outlining what counts as valid employer contacts and adequate proof for different modes of contact; in Washington, a one-time email sent to claimants), only a small share clicked on embedded links to access additional information.
- Qualitative findings indicate that the UI work search presents a promising area for additional testing of behavioral interventions.
From 2019 to 2021, researchers developed behavioral interventions to test with UI claimants in two states, Washington and North Carolina, that were motivated to experiment and learn how behavioral interventions might be used to reduce improper payment rates. The studies undertook a multi-method, multi-phased approach to support iterative learning. In Washington, a randomized control trial (RCT) involving 26,967 claimants compared knowledge and work search behaviors between a treatment group who received the intervention and a control group who did not. In North Carolina, an RCT involving 24,416 claimants explored the communications’ influence on self-attested work search compliance, while a series of quasi-experimental design (QED) studies explored other outcomes. Outcomes were assessed using administrative data as well as qualitative information from phone interviews with staff and in-person focus groups with staff and claimants.
The COVID-19 pandemic and related policy changes shortened data collection periods in both states and caused disruptions to study plans, collaborative efforts, and workforce priorities across the United States. Quantitative findings suggest limited impacts. However, qualitative findings on implementation suggest work search may nonetheless be a promising area for continued testing of behavioral insights.
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