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State Report Shows Mixed Bag For Those Who Left Welfare

AUGUSTA, Maine - A new report in Maine shows a mixed bag when it comes to job outcomes for those kicked off temporary cash assistance in 2012.

A report released Thursday by Republican Gov. Paul LePage's policy office looks at what happened to the 1,856 individuals who left Maine's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

The LePage administration says after a 60-month time limit took effect in May 2012, individuals without a record of employment before the change saw higher wages.

But the report calls for further analysis to determine whether the work limits led to such changes.

The liberal Maine People's Alliance noted the overall economy improved since 2012.

The group said the report's finding that more than 60 percent of the individuals lacked wage records in 2016 should be cause for alarm.