The Appalachian region of Southwest Virginia was selected as a surplus labor area in a pilot project to show the effectiveness of using financial assistance to increase mobility and reduce unemployment. Most of the workers were relocated in Alexandria, Newport News, Richmond, and Petersburg. Of the 920 unemployed workers interviewed, 200 were…

Workers who were relocated under federally sponsored pilot mobility projects in Michigan and Wisconsin were compared with a group of nonmovers drawn from the same rural areas and with similar demographic and labor market characteristics. It was found that the movers improved their employment status, their occupational status, and their income…