The legislative assembly finds that there are an ever-increasing number of persons in this state who, having fulfilled a role as homemaker, find themselves “displaced” in their middle years through separation, divorce, death or disability of spouse, or other loss of support. As a consequence, displaced homemakers are very often without any source of income; they are usually ineligible for categorical welfare assistance; they are subject to one of the highest unemployment rates of any sector of the workforce; they often face continuing discrimination in employment because they are older and have no recent paid work experience; they are often ineligible for unemployment insurance because they have been engaged in unpaid labor in the home; they are often ineligible for social security because they are too young, and many will never qualify for social security because they have been divorced from the family wage earner; they have often lost their rights as beneficiaries under employers’ pension and health plans through divorce or death of spouse, despite many years of contribution to the family well-being; and they are most often ineligible for medical assistance and are generally unacceptable to private health insurance plans because of their age.

It is the intention of the legislative assembly in enacting this chapter to provide the necessary counseling and guidance, job readiness training, and services for displaced homemakers so that they may enjoy the independence and economic security vital to a productive life and to improve the health and welfare of this ever-growing group of citizens.