710 Work Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDS)

A. General Unless exempt from this provision, any household member is ineligible to continue to receive food assistance for more than 3 months (consecutive or otherwise) out of 36 months during which the household member did not either (a) work at least 20 hours a week (averaged monthly), (b) for at least 20 hours a week, participate in and comply with a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program, Trade Adjustment Assistance Act (TAA) program or an employment and training program (other than Job Search or Job Search training), or (c) a combination of the two activities above for a total of at least 20 hours a week. To qualify as work under this provision, an individual must be doing one or a combination of two or more of the following for a total of at least 20 hours a week, averaged monthly (for the purposes of this provision, 20 hrs. per week averaged monthly means 80 hours a month). 1. Performing work for which payment is received. 2. Performing work in exchange for in-kind benefits which represents a gain or benefit to the individual, such as free or reduced housing and/or utilities, clothing, or other tangible non- monetary benefits. 3. Performing beneficial and verifiable unpaid volunteer work for a program or project which serves a useful public purpose; such volunteer work may include but is not limited to providing improvements to public facilities or performing work in fields such as health, social service, environmental protection, education, urban or rural development, welfare, recreation, public safety or daycare including work for friends or relatives. The first full month during which an individual receives benefits while not exempt or working at least 20 hours shall be considered the first month of the 36-month period, as determined by the appropriate work registration code “J”. Any month in which benefits are prorated must not be counted toward the time limits. A notice of adverse action must be provided to all households prior to termination or removal of a household member after three months of eligibility in which the work/training requirements are not met. The resources, income and deductions of the ineligible household member are treated in accordance with the provisions of Section 1102, Treatment of Resources, Income and Deductions of Other Non-household Members. For households containing a member subject to this provision, the household is required to report if the member’s work hours drop below 20 hours per week (averaged monthly). However, if it is determined that the member would have worked an average of 20 hours per week but missed some work for a good cause, s/he will be considered to have met the work requirements if the work absence was temporary and s/he retains the job. Good cause for missing work includes circumstances beyond the member’s control such as illness, illness of another household member requiring the presence of the member, a household emergency or unavailability of transportation. (If good cause is determined, the month shall not be counted toward the time limits for receipt of benefits under this provision and the case record should be documented accordingly). B. Exemptions Individuals are exempt from this provision during the time they are: Under age 18 or at least age 50. a) An individual who becomes 18 after the first day of the month remains age exempt through that month. b) An individual becomes exempt the month of the individual’s 50th birthday. Medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment as determined by the certification worker. a) Receipt of any type of disability payment qualifies a household member for this exemption; the expected date of recovery is needed if the disability payments are short- term. b) If the physical or mental unfitness is evident to the worker, no further verification is required; documentation in the case record is sufficient. c) If the unfitness is not apparent to the worker, medical evidence or a statement from a physician or other health professional is required which includes the reason for the unfitness and the date of expected recovery if the unfitness is not considered permanent. Parents (natural, adopted or step) and other adult household members (regardless of the relationship) living in the household with a member under the age of 18. This exemption applies if the member under age 18 is not himself eligible for food assistance because s/he is disqualified/ ineligible or resides in the household only part-time. Pregnant Meets one of the exemptions from the work registration requirements as stated in Section 701. C. Regaining Food Assistance Eligibility After an individual, subject to this provision, has received food assistance for 3 months during which he was not working, participating in a qualifying work program or exempt, and has become ineligible, he may regain eligibility if during a 30 day period he works either 80 hours or more, or participates in and complies with a WIA, TAA program, or allowable employment and training program for at least 80 hours (as determined by that program). This 80-hour requirement becomes a condition of eligibility. The 80 hours of qualifying work can be performed while the individual is receiving assistance or not receiving assistance as long as the required work is performed after having gone off the program. 1. The 80 hours of work or participation must occur in a consecutive 30-day period, to be determined on a case-by-case basis. If the individual has just begun working or participating, the 30-day period may extend into but not beyond the application processing timeframe. 2. This employment or participation does not have to occur during the time the individual is receiving food assistance, nor does the individual have to be working or participating at the time of reapplication or request to add the household member. Once an individual has regained eligibility by working or participating the required 80 hours as stated above, he remains eligible under these provisions for any period of time during which he works 20 hours a week (averaged monthly) or for at least 20 hours a week, participates in and complies with WIA, TAA or allowable employment and training program. D. Subsequent Loss of Eligibility Regained in C above If eligibility is regained by working or participating the required 80 hours, the individual is entitled to eligibility for one additional 3 consecutive month period, after losing employment or ceasing to participate in a required work program, beginning the first full month following the date the county office receives notification that work or work program participation has ended. If the individual failed to report timely, or the county failed to act timely, any benefits received while not meeting the requirements of this provision are considered an overpayment and subject to the policy for claims determination and repayment. Once this additional three-month period of eligibility is over, the only way to resume eligibility during the 36-month period is to comply with the 20-hour per week work requirement, participate in an allowable employment and training program or become exempt from the provisions as stated above. E. Other Actions During the 36-month period, any requests to add the ineligible household member back into the household, or any applications filed by ineligible household members must be evaluated to see if the work requirements remain applicable to the case. If the member or household is now exempt from the requirements or has worked or participated in an allowable work and training program for the required hours; eligibility should be determined, and the appropriate action taken to add the household member or approve the application if otherwise eligible. If, however, the household member or household remains subject to the ABAWDS requirement and the household member has not worked the required 80 hours or participated in an allowable work and training program, the request or application must be denied. The 36-month period is a set period of time as determined in Section 710A. Once begun, it cannot be interrupted or stopped, even if the individual leaves the program for a period of time. After the 36-month period ends, the household member or household may again be determined eligible under normal procedures. If the member or household remains subject to the ABAWD provisions a new 36-month period is determined. These work requirements continue to apply for individuals moving from one county to another within the state, except for any period of time the individual resides in a county for which these provisions are waived. 1. The 36-month period cannot begin while an individual is residing in an exempt county. 2. If an individual moves into an exempt county and the 36-month period began while the individual was residing in a non-exempt county, the 36-month period continues although his participation in the exempt county does not count toward the 3-month limit. When an individual moves to Alabama from another state and gives an indication (s)he received benefits in that state, the county office should make an effort to contact the other state to determine if ABAWD months have been used. ABAWD provisions will continue to apply if the worker is aware of the individual’s receipt of benefits in the other state in sufficient detail to determine months of eligibility used in the other state and other pertinent information as it relates to these provisions, including the 36-month period established by the other state. Months where benefits were received in waived ABAWD states/counties will not be counted in the state of Alabama. The effort should be documented in the case file. Application processing should not be held if this is the only information needed to approve the client’s case. ALABAMA RESOURCES FOR ENRICHMENT, SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AND EMPLOYABILITY TRAINING (A-RESET) A-RESET is an Employment and Training (E&T) program for Alabama SNAP. It is designed to help certain SNAP recipients, most notably Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs), meet federal SNAP work requirements by participating in approved work activities. Who Are A-RESET Providers? A-RESET providers are approved partner agencies and organizations contracted or authorized by the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) to deliver SNAP E&T services. These providers offer structured activities that support employment, skills development, and job placement. What Is Provider Determination? A provider determination is when an A-RESET provider has determined that an individual is not suitable for a particular component. When the A-RESET provider notifies the A-RESET case worker that an ABAWD has received a provider determination, the following procedures must occur: • The A-RESET provider must notify the A-RESET case manager of the provider determination within 10 days of the date the determination is made and inform the case manager of the reason for the provider determination. • The A-RESET case manager must document in the case record that the ABAWD has received a provider determination and is no longer participating in A-RESET. The A-RESET case manager must also notify the SNAP eligibility supervisor, who shall notify the appropriate SNAP eligibility worker. In cases where the A-RESET provider determines the ABAWD is not suited for one component but may be best suited for another component, the A-RESET provider may switch the individual to a new component without any action from the A-RESET case manager. • When the eligibility worker is notified that the ABAWD has received a provider determination and is no longer meeting the general or ABAWD work requirements, the eligibility worker must send the household a Notice of Adverse Action (NOAA) within 10 days of the notification from the A-RESET provider. Therefore, communications between the A-RESET case manager, the SNAP supervisor and the SNAP eligibility worker must be executed in a timely manner, in order to avoid a delay in notification to the household. • ABAWDs must be informed on the NOAA that a countable ABAWD month will not be imposed until the next full benefit month after the month in which the eligibility worker informs the ABAWD about the provider determination; unless the ABAWD fulfills the work requirements, has good cause, or is otherwise exempt.