ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS
ISSUE DATE: 01/2021
MFIP, DWP, MSA, GA, GRH:
No provisions.
SNAP:
Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) are applicants/recipients meeting all of the following:
● | Are age 18-49. |
● | Are not exempt from Work Registration. See 0028.06.12 (Who Is Exempt From SNAP Work Registration). |
● | Are not exempt from SNAP E&T. See 0028.06.10 (Who Is Exempt from SNAP E&T). |
ABAWDs are eligible for 3 months in any 36-month period and may be time-limited. The 3 months are subject to the following provisions:
● | The 3-month limit applies only to ABAWDs receiving SNAP. |
● | The 3 months do not have to be consecutive. |
● | Pro-rated months do not count against this time limit. |
● | ABAWD counted months used in another state count towards the time limit in Minnesota. This needs to be verified by contacting the other state. |
ABAWDs are not subject to the work and time limits if they live in a county or on an Indian reservation where all participants are waived from ABAWD provisions. See TEMP Manual TE02.05.68 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Waived Reservations), TE02.05.69 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Waived Counties).
If a client meets a Work Registration exemption, SNAP E&T exemption or any of the ways to not have months count towards the time limit for part of the month, the entire month does not count against the 3-month limit.
Minnesota uses a rolling clock to measure the 36-month period. The 36-month rolling clock begins with the month benefits are being determined for and looks back an additional 35 months. The 36-month look back period continues to roll each month thereafter, 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.
Do not count a month against the time limit if the ABAWD participates in work or work related activities 20 hours per week, averaged 80 hours per month. Countable work or work program activities are:
● | Working, including paid employment, self-employment, in-kind, and unpaid work. This includes use of accrued sick or vacation time, if available. |
● | Participating in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services equal to or more than the ABAWD work requirement of 20 hours/week, averaged 80 hours/month. |
● | Participating in Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) services equal to or more than the ABAWD work requirement of 20 hours/week, averaged 80 hours/month. |
● | Participating in SNAP E&T activities. NOTE: For an ABAWD, participation in Job Search is not a countable activity unless it makes up less than 50% of the required 80 hours per month, or the ABAWD is co-enrolled in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). See 0028.03.03 (Employment Services/SNAP E&T Required Components). |
SNAP recipients subject to the time limit and work provisions can decide if they want to participate in SNAP Employment and Training services to help meet those requirements. Not all counties offer SNAP E&T services. ABAWDs are referred to SNAP E&T when SNAP eligibility is determined or when the participant’s exemption from ABAWD provisions ends. However, participation is voluntary.
Work and allowable work activities must be verified in order for the month to not count towards the 3-month time limit. If an ABAWD is working with SNAP E&T, the E&T provider can confirm participation in work activities. If the ABAWD is not working with SNAP E&T, they must provide verification that they have already completed the activity to not count the month. Once the ABAWD provides verification that they have met the work requirements, uncount the month. If it is determined the client will prospectively meet the work requirement, additional verification to uncount future months is not needed.
NOTE: When an ABAWD meets work requirements, this is not the same as meeting an exemption. They are still subject to the work requirements and time limits.
ABAWDs must report when their work or work related activity hours fall below 20 hours per week, averaged 80 hours per month. This is a reporting requirement for all reporting types. See 0007.03.01 (Monthly Reporting - Uncle Harry FS), 0007.03.02 (Six-Month Reporting), 0007.03.05 (Change Reporting).
You must retroactively count (or uncount) an ABAWD’s month of benefits as 1 of the 3 counted months of 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. See TE02.05.70 (Coding the WREG Panel for SNAP) for system instructions. As long as the client meets an exemption for some part of the month, he/she is exempt for the entire month.
Once an ABAWD uses all 3 counted months during the rolling 36 month period, unless they meet an exemption or a way to regain eligibility listed below, they are ineligible for SNAP. However, their income may still count for the additional unit members receiving SNAP. See 0016.39 (Income of Ineligible Able-Bodied Adults).
EARNING ADDITIONAL MONTHS
Able-bodied adults may "earn" ADDITIONAL MONTHS of eligibility, or avoid using 1 of their 3 counted 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.
ABAWD ELIGIBILITY AFTER THE 3 MONTHS - SECOND 3-MONTH PERIOD
If the ABAWD lost eligibility due to using his/her 3 months and has been closed for over 30 days, they will need to re-apply to be eligible for any of the provisions below.
An ABAWD 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 during any 30 consecutive days, as described above under EARNING ADDITIONAL MONTHS. 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 second 3-month period of eligibility. This provision does not apply if the person voluntarily quits the job without good cause. See 0028.30.09 (Refusing or Terminating Employment).
The new 3-month count starts the 1st day of the 1st full month in which SNAP benefits are provided under this second 3-month eligibility period. A partial month is not a counted month. The second 3-month period runs for 3 consecutive countable months regardless of whether or not the participant receives benefits in all 3 months. This second 3-month period is only available once in any 36-month period.
ABAWD ELIGIBILITY – REGAINING ELIGIBILITY
An ABAWD who has used up the initial or second 3 months of SNAP eligibility can regain eligibility when during any 30 consecutive days the person has met work or work related activity requirements as described above. The hours must be completed before eligibility can be granted.
The 30 consecutive days may occur at any time after the ABAWD used the 3 countable months. Once the participant has worked the required number of hours, eligibility can be granted back to the date of application.
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.
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PREVIOUS REVISIONS
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 04/2020 | in SNAP updates policy throughout. |
| 03/2019 | in SNAP under EARNING ADDITIONAL MONTHS in the 1st paragraph rewords the 1st bullet to clarify the definition of "working". Deletes 5th bullet because it is included in 4th bullet. |
| 01/2019 | in SNAP under the sub-heading ABAWD ELIGIBILITY in the 5th paragraph in the 7th bullet deletes "that is expected to last for a minimum of 30 days". |
| 12/2018 | in SNAP under ABAWD ELIGIBILITY deletes mandatory SNAP E&T participation language & adds voluntary participation language because SNAP E&T is now voluntary. Deletes sub-heading SANCTIONS & all information because sanctions are no longer valid. |
| 10/2018 | updates cross-references to TEMP Manual TE02.05.68 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Waived Reservations), TE02.05.69 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Waived Counties) due to section title changed. No policy was changed. |
| 09/2018 | in SNAP adds and deletes information about the 36-month rolling clock and regaining eligibility throughout. |
| 04/2018 | in SNAP adds and deletes information throughout. Adds new information about an ABAWD being unfit for employment if the person is currently homeless AND meets the criteria outlined in this exemption. |
| 10/2017 | in SNAP adds language about participating in WIOA and TAA. Clarifies subheading ABAWD ELIGIBILITY AFTER THE 3 MONTHS-2ND 3-month period. Adds subheading ABAWD ELIGIBILITY–REGAINING ELIGIBILITY & updates information. Changes made due to Bulletin 17-01-01. |
| 12/2016 | Under EARNING ADDITIONAL MONTHS adds to use higher of federal or state minimum wage. Under ABAWD ELIGIBILITY AFTER THE 3 MONTHS clarifies to use any 30 consecutive days to determine if work activities qualify ABAWD for benefits for 2nd 3-month period. |
| 11/2016 | in SNAP adds to refer ABAWDs receiving RCA to SNAP E&T if there is no RCA ESP. Changes "20 hours or more per week" to "at least 20 hours per week". Adds job search activities to be allowable must be less than 50% of the required 80 hours per month. |
| 10/2016 | update references to 0017.15.18 (Employment, Training, and National Service Program Income) and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) due to title/name change. |
| 09/2015 | under sub-heading ABAWD ELIGIBILITY in the 5th paragraph adds a new last bullet for people with a statement from a qualified professional. Under sub-heading EARNING ADDITIONAL MONTHS changes "household's" to "unit's". |
| 12/2014 | Removed WB. This program was suspended 12/1/14. |
| 06/2014 | in SNAP adds, deletes and rearranges information throughout. |
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