In the fall of 1997, Governor Locke signed House Bill 3901, establishing the WorkFirst program. WorkFirst placed a heavy emphasis on immediate employment. The only exemption from the work requirement is for parents with children under three months old. The law imposed a 60 month (5 year) lifetime limit on receiving benefits.

There are several problems with the welfare reform program in our state. First, WorkFirst is moving people into the low paying jobs that do not support a family. In a recent report by DSHS, families leaving welfare were earning $7.00 dollars an hour and many were struggling and unable to meet basic needs such as food, medical care and childcare. Second, WorkFirst does not work for families and employers by offering training and education opportunities to ensure people have the skills necessary for employment. Third, WorkFirst does not protect vulnerable families for whom the time limits and work requirements are not appropriate, including victims of family violence, people with disabilities, people caring for those with disabilities and families who are working but receiving some cash assistance. Finally, WorkFirst is not evaluated based on the program's ability to move people off welfare completely and out of poverty, which is real measure of success.