Research indicates that many illiterate youth and adults who become parents are unable to transfer high levels of oral language skills or to model literacy use for their children. Consequently, their children begin school without the readiness skills necessary to learn to read and thus continue a cycle of family illiteracy and employment problems. Studies indicate that among the benefits that could be attained from employer-sponsored literacy training programs for marginally literate youth and adults while developing their literacy, oral language, and learning skills the following human resources-related benefits would be attained: (1) the value obtained from education dollars could be doubled, (2) youth and adult employment problems could be relieved, and (3) children's ability to achieve in school could be improved. Research studies have confirmed that literacy skills and their use have a direct impact on proficiency and productivity in the workplace. Literacy programs that focused training directly on teaching students how to perform job-related reading tasks resulted in improvements in both general and job-related literacy, with even brief programs having significant impacts on workers' literacy skills. In light of the intergenerational benefits to be gained from job-related literacy programs, researchers should seek cost-effective ways for employers to implement such programs. A brief list of references concludes the report. (MN)