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Employment First Job Retention

EF POs must offer job retention services to clients who secure employment (a new job or promotion within their existing job) after enrolling and participating in the EF program. Job retention services are available even after a client's SNAP case has closed due to income.

Please note, there are times when an individual is leaving SNAP due to a failure to comply with the general work requirement or an intentional program violation. In these instances, the client cannot receive job retention services, even if they secured employment after enrolling and participating in EF.

Job retention services include job coaching and assistance that support resolving any barriers that may affect employment. Clients may also receive supportive payments for necessary expenses directly related to job retention, such as clothing required for work, job-related equipment or tools, transportation, and child care.

Clients enrolled in the Job Retention activity are required to complete a minimum of one hour per month in job retention services and one hour per month in case management to meet the LOE program requirement. This specific LOE is only applicable to clients enrolled in the Job Retention activity.

EF POs are expected to make a good-faith effort to offer at least 30 days of job retention services to eligible clients. This includes informing clients about the 30-day minimum requirement, opening a Job Retention activity in CBMS, and developing a Job Retention ISP in CBMS that extends for at least 30 days.

Note: There is no limit to the number of times an individual may receive job retention services, as long as the individual has re-enrolled and participated with the EF Program before obtaining new employment.

For a visual aid with information on determining when a client can receive job retention services, for how long, and how to navigate this in CBMS, see the Job Retention Decision Tree (Resource R).

Activity Hour Data Entry

EF POs must track and enter all activity hours completed by clients into CBMS. Activity hours must be entered by the 6th of each month for the previous month.

Level of Effort. All EF clients are required to complete a minimum of 12 hours per month, which must be tracked and entered in the CBMS Attendance screen, in case management and at least one EF allowable activity. This requirement is referred to as Level of Effort (LOE). All EF clients, including ABAWDs, are required to meet this 12-hour LOE each month.

Last updated: July 9, 2026