ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS
ISSUE DATE: 12/2014
MFIP, DWP, MSA, GA, GRH:
No provisions.
SNAP:
Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) are applicants/recipients between the ages of 18 and 50. Unless they meet mandatory work provisions or an exemption listed below, they are eligible for SNAP for only 3 months in any 36 month period. The 36-month period begins the 1st full month the person receives SNAP. Once started, the 36 month period continues to run uninterrupted, even during times the person does not receive SNAP or is exempt from the time limit. You must explain these provisions to ABAWDs during the intake and eligibility determination process.
For information on how to treat income of ineligible able-bodied adults, see, 0016.39 (Income of Ineligible Able-Bodied Adults).
For information on reporting requirements, see 0007 (Reporting).
ABAWD ELIGIBILITY
When there is an indication that an ABAWD received SNAP in another state that does not have a waiver of the mandatory work provisions, the number of full countable months used in the other state must be verified by contacting the other state.
Non-Exempt ABAWDs are mandatory SNAP E&T participants. Not all counties offer SNAP E&T services and some counties and tribal agencies are exempt due to the unemployment rate. See TEMP Manual TE02.05.68 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Exempt Reservations), TE02.05.69 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Exempt Counties). For counties that provide SNAP E&T services, the ABAWD must be referred to SNAP E&T when SNAP eligibility is determined or when the participant’s exemption from ABAWD provisions ends. You must inform the ES Provider of the participant’s ABAWD status so that this can be taken into consideration when determining the SNAP E&T services needed.
The 3 entitled months do not have to be consecutive. Do not count a month if for that month the person:
● | Meets the 20 hour per week (80 hours per month) work requirement. |
OR | |
● | Is exempt from the 3 month time limit. |
OR | |
● | Receives only prorated (partial month) benefits. |
The 3 month entitlement limit applies only to ABAWDs receiving SNAP.
A person meeting any of the following exemptions is not subject to the 3 month limit:
● | Receiving cash assistance. |
● | Under age 18, or age 50 or older. |
● | Responsible for the care of a child under age 18 in the household. If there are 2 parents in the unit, both are exempt. If there is doubt as to whether non-parents should be given this exemption, determine if the child is under the parental control of the non-parent. An adult who has parental control of the child is entitled to this exemption. |
● | Medically certified as pregnant. |
● | Exempt from work registration. See 0028.06.12 (Who Is Exempt From SNAP Work Registration). Code his/her work registration status carefully on the MAXIS STAT/WREG panel. This information is used by MAXIS when sending workers appropriate DAIL messages. It is also used for reporting and funding purposes. |
● | Lives in any of the counties or Indian reservations where all participants are exempt from ABAWD provisions. See TEMP Manual TE02.05.68 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Exempt Reservations), TE02.05.69 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Exempt Counties). |
You must retroactively count (or uncount) an ABAWD’s month of benefits as 1 of the 3 months of entitlement to SNAP benefits if you later learn that your determination of the ABAWD’s exemption status, or whether or not the ABAWD met monthly work requirements, was incorrect. You must make this change in MAXIS. As long as the client meets an exemption for some part of the month, he/she is exempt for the entire month.
EARNING ADDITIONAL MONTHS
Able-bodied adults may "earn" ADDITIONAL MONTHS of eligibility, or avoid using 1 of their 3 entitled months, when they work or participate in work activities an average of 20 hours per week (80 per month). These do not have to be consecutive months. For each month that the person works or participates in work activities at this level, the person “earns” a month of SNAP benefits. Countable work or work program activities are:
● | Working in paid employment, including self-employment. This includes use of accrued sick or vacation time, if available. |
● | Participating in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services. |
● | Participating in Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) services. |
● | Participating in SNAP E&T activities. NOTE: SNAP E&T job search and job search training do not count toward the 20 hour per week/80 hour per month requirement unless the person is co-enrolled in WIA. See 0028.03.03 (Employment Services/SNAP E&T Required Components). |
● | Participating in Work Experience. However, instead of averaging 20 hours a week, the required number of hours of participation is the household's monthly SNAP allotment divided by the HIGHER of: |
- | The state minimum wage. |
OR | |
- | The federal minimum wage. |
See MINIMUM WAGE in 0002.41 (Glossary: Medically Necessary...). Also see TEMP Manual TE12.05 (Minimum Wage).
SANCTIONS
ABAWDs who do not comply with Employment and Training (E&T) are sanctioned by having their case closed or being removed from the case when there are other eligible members on the case. The ABAWD will need to reapply for SNAP benefits once the sanction period is over or, if part of an ongoing case, contact their worker to be added back to the SNAP unit once the sanction period is over.
ABAWD ELIGIBILITY AFTER THE 3 MONTHS
An ABAWD who has used his/her 3 months of eligibility in the past 36 months may re-apply.
A participant who has lost SNAP eligibility by exhausting their initial 3 months out of 36 months may qualify for a second 3-month period if they have worked or participated in work activities for 80 hours in a month, as described above. If the person’s job or work activity ends, or if the hours are reduced below 80 hours per month, the person qualifies for the additional 3-month period of eligibility. This provision does not apply if the person voluntarily quit the job without good cause.
The new 3-month count starts the 1st day of the 1st full month in which SNAP benefits are provided under this 2nd 3-month eligibility period. A partial month is not a counted month. The 2nd 3-month period runs uninterrupted regardless of whether or not the participant receives benefits all 3 of those months. This 2nd 3-month period is only available once in any 36-month period.
An ABAWD who has used up the initial or subsequent 3 months of SNAP eligibility can regain eligibility by working or participating in approved work activities for 80 hours in a calendar month. NOTE: SNAP E&T is available only to current participants. The hours must be completed before eligibility can be granted.
Once eligibility is granted, eligibility will continue as long as you prospectively anticipate that the person will work the required number of hours for the next month. The ABAWD should follow their reporting requirements. Your Employment Services Provider (ESP) will track hours of participation in work program activities.
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PREVIOUS REVISIONS
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 06/2014 | in SNAP adds, deletes and rearranges information throughout. |
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