Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Work Requirements and Screening

Section 824 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) establishes a time limit for the receipt of SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults without dependents. In order to obtain and evaluate waivers for this provision, State agencies must submit sufficient supporting information so that the Secretary of Agriculture can make the required determination as to an area's unemployment rate or its insufficient number of jobs. The FRA gradually increases the upper age limit of the age-based exception three times over the next year and created three new exceptions from the time limit for individuals experiencing homelessness, veterans, and individuals aging out of foster care. The FRA also provided that these changes sunset on October 1, 2030. The Department proposed to update regulations to incorporate the final age increase, add the three new exceptions and definitions for each, and codify that the changes to exceptions sunset on October 1, 2030. The burden related to these provisions is covered in this information collection. In addition to the provisions of the FRA, the Department also proposed requirements for State agencies to screen for exemptions from the general work requirements and exceptions from the ABAWD time limit. The rule requires State agencies to screen individuals at initial application, recertification application, and when a change occurs during the certification period and prohibits State agencies from applying the time limit and assigning countable months unless they have screened the individual and determined they do not meet an exception from the time limit. Additionally, because individuals are not subject to the ABAWD time limit if they are exempt from the general work requirements, this rule also requires screening for exemptions from the general work requirements.

The latest form for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Work Requirements and Screening expires 2028-07-31 and can be found here.

(State Agencies) - ABAWD Startup

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Income Security - Food and Nutrition Assistance