Analysis of the use of social safety net programs in Illinois by the working poor. This study replicated the research conducted in California for the report The Hidden Public Cost of Low-Wage Work in California.

Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the other public benefits programs discussed in this report provide a vital support system for millions of Americans working in the United States’ service industries, including fast food. We analyze public program utilization by working families and estimate total average annual public benefit expenditures on the families of front-line fast-food workers for the years 2007–2011.