His work focuses on the effectiveness of the U.S. social safety net in serving low-wage workers and economically disadvantaged families. His research on low-wage work, social policy, and social service administration has appeared in Social Service Review, Journal of Poverty, and Administration in Social Work. His recent work explores the effects of nonstandard work characteristics on workers' access to social benefits such as health insurance coverage and unemployment insurance. Mr. Shaefer is currently co-principal investigator on a study of the financial and medical effects associated with expansions of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Mr. Shaefer received his PhD from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration in 2008.