Page 486

COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 12/2021

ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS

0011.24

● Banked months may be available to continue receiving SNAP after the 3 available months have been used. More information about banked months can be found later in this section.

● ABAWDs can earn more than the initial 3 available months of SNAP by meeting the time-limited rules. More information about gaining additional months of eligibility can be found later in this section.

ABAWDs are not subject to the time limits if they live in a county or on an Indian reservation where all participants are waived or when the entire state is waived from the time limits. The entire state of Minnesota is waived from the time-limits until June 30, 2022. See TEMP Manual TE02.05.68 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Waived Reservations), TE02.05.69 (ABAWD SNAP E&T Waived Counties).

THE 36-MONTH CLOCK

Minnesota uses a rolling clock to measure the 36-month period. The 36-month rolling clock begins with the month benefits are being determined for and looks back an additional 35 months. The 36-month look back period continues to roll each month thereafter, even during times the person does not receive SNAP or is exempt from the time-limited work rules.

ELIGIBLE WORK ACTIVITIES

Months are not counted as 1 of the 3 available months when an ABAWD meets time-limited work rules by participating in approved work or work related activities 20 hours per week/80 hours per month. Approved work or work related program activities are:

● Working, including paid employment, self-employment, in-kind, and unpaid work. This includes use of accrued sick or vacation time, if available.

● Participating in Title 1 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services.

● Participating in Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) services.

● Participating in SNAP E&T activities. NOTE: For an ABAWD, participation in Supervised Job Search is not a countable activity unless it makes up less than 50% of the required 80 hours per month, or the ABAWD is co-enrolled in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). See 0028.03.03 (Employment Services/SNAP E&T Required Components).

● Any employment and training program operated by the Department of Labor or Veterans Affairs that serves veterans.

All SNAP recipients, including ABAWDs, can choose to participate in SNAP E&T services and must be referred within MAXIS when they volunteer to do so. E&T providers will contact you to send a referral for SNAP recipients choosing to work with E&T that have not been referred prior. See TEMP Manual TE10.34 (Manual Referral Option for WF1).

REQUIRED VERIFICATIONS

Work, volunteer, and approved work related training activity hours must be verified in order to not count towards the 3-month time limit. Obtain verification from the employer, from the SNAP E&T provider, or from the work related program. Once verification proves they have met the work requirements, do not count the month. Continue to not count months if it is determined the client will prospectively meet the work requirement.

NOTE: When an ABAWD meets work requirements, they can receive more than 3 months of SNAP. Meeting work requirements is not the same as meeting an exemption. They are still subject to the time-limited work rules but continue to receive SNAP since they are meeting the requirements.

REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES

ABAWDs subject to the time-limits must report when their work or work related activity hours fall below 20 hours per week, averaged 80 hours per month. This is a reporting requirement for all reporting types. See 0007.03.01 (Monthly Reporting - Uncle