Work Requirement

If you are a single parent who is able to work and your youngest child is under age 6, you must work or participate in a work activity for at least 20 hours per week. If you are a single parent who is able to work and your youngest child is age 6 or older, you must work or participate in a work activity for at least 30 hours per week. Two-parent families are required to work 35 hours per week. If you work, you must report your earnings every six months. Your cash benefits are reduced only $1 for every $4 you earn, and the department helps pay for necessary child care.

Work and training activities include: unpaid work experience, on-the-job training, job search, community service programs, vocational education, subsidized employment, work-study, VISTA and Job Corps. Activities that address barriers to employment include treatment programs for domestic or sexual violence, substance abuse, and mental health disorders. For parents under age 20, attending high school or GED classes counts as a work activity. An adult that does not currently have a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate can participate in an Adult GED Program that will count as a core activity work requirement.