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Division/Section Family Support Chapter No./Name 4 – Economic Stability (ES) Part No./Name B – Eligibility Factors Section No./Name B-1400-FITAP-SNAP-STEP SNAP Work Requirements Document No./Name B-1470-SNAP Time-Limited Benefits for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) Effective Date February 1, 2026

7 of 22 individual shall be considered to have met the ABAWD work requirement if the absence from the activity is temporary and the individual retains his or her job/enrollment in the activity. The key to determining good cause is to establish that it is only a temporary situation and the ABAWD retains the job or enrollment in the activity.

EXAMPLE: Lisa is an ABAWD who is working the required 20 hours per week. For the month of June, she worked 60 hours. However, Lisa’s car is being repaired and she is unable to work any hours for the month of July. Lisa would be allowed good cause for June and July since she is still employed, but due to her car being repaired she is temporarily unable to work.

EXAMPLE: Jesse is an ABAWD who is working the required 20 hours per week. In the month of June, Jesse worked 60 hours because his car was repossessed and he lost his job. Jesse reported this July 1. Jesse is unable to work since he has no transportation to work. Jesse would not be allowed good cause since he has lost his job. Since Jesse met the work requirement for part of June, that month is not considered a countable month because it would not be a full month of benefits without meeting the work requirement. July will be a countable month.

B-1472-2-SNAP - PO Discretionary Exemptions

The agency was allotted a certain number of discretionary exemptions each year that were used so that a month did not count towards the SNAP time limit. These exemptions were automatically tracked using work registration ‘Discretionary Exemption’ to ensure that the State does not exceed the allowable number of exemptions available.

Effective October 1, 2024, discretionary exemptions are no longer allowed due to Act 308 of 2024 Louisiana Legislative Session.

B-1472-3-SNAP- PO Temporary Exemptions due to the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 provided three temporary exemptions to the SNAP time limit, beginning September 1, 2023. The three temporary exemptions were being a veteran, homeless, and 24 years old and aged out of foster care.

Effective November 1, 2025, the three exemptions are no longer allowed due to passage of the Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.

B-1473-SNAP - PO SUBSEQUENT ELIGIBILITY

B-1473-1-SNAP - PO Regaining Eligibility

If an ABAWD was denied eligibility because he received three countable months and was subject to the SNAP time limit, the ABAWD may regain eligibility if he meets one of the requirements listed below. There is no limit to the number of times an ABAWD may regain eligibility.