In a recent study it was shown that welfare benefits actually pay more than minimum wage in 35 states. And in some of those states, it pays a lot more.

Experts say that this doesn't create incentive for people to take entry level positions and creates more dependency on government programs. This, 17 years after the Clinton administation (with bipartisan support) passed legislation to shift American from welfare dependence to the work force.

However, “welfare benefits continue to outpace the income that most recipients can expect to earn from an entry-level job,” the study authors said. “And the balance between welfare and work may actually have grown worse in recent years.”

Their findings show that in 13 states welfare benefits pay more than $15 an hour as opposed to $7.25 an hour from the federal minimum wage. In other more generous states, welfare pays more than a first year teacher's salary and that of computer programmers.

Does this make people want to stay on welfare?

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