UI as a Safety Net for Former TANF Recipients

Appendix A:
Time Frames Defining Analysis Cohorts

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For the 2000 TANF cohort, the time frame for observing TANF receipt is calendar year 2000. TANF exit must have occurred on or before the first calendar quarter of 2001. This definition yields sample sizes adequate to reliably estimate the influence of UI on return to TANF. Applying this rule, the other TANF exit cohorts are defined as:

• 1997 Cohorts:  TANF receipt 1997Q2 to 1998Q1 and exit by 1998Q2
• 2000 Cohorts:  TANF receipt 2000Q1 to 2000Q4 and exit by 2001Q1
• 2001 Cohorts:  TANF receipt 2001Q1 to 2001Q4 and exit by 2002Q1
• 2003 Cohort:  TANF receipt 2003Q1 to 2003Q4 and exit by 2004Q1

After the quarter of TANF exit, exactly 12 quarters are checked for the first episode of new unemployment. For each cohort, return to TANF is checked for up to 12 quarters after the last exit quarter from TANF for that cohort. That is:

• 1997 Cohorts check until 2001Q2
• 2000 Cohorts check until 2004Q1
• 2001 Cohorts check until 2005Q1
• 2003 Cohort check until 2007Q1

This means that return to TANF is checked for at least 12 quarters (and up to 15 quarters) after exit from TANF.

The presence of UI claims are checked for in quarters (Q-1) to (Q+3) relative to the quarter of new unemployment. This means checking for UI claims could be done after the last quarter of checking for return to TANF. However, in regression models presented in this report no UI data is used from after the last quarter for checking return to TANF. That is, for the four cohort times the upper limits on measuring variables for regression models respectively are: 2001Q2, 2004Q1, 2005Q1, and 2007Q1.

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Last updated:  04/14/08