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33 Section 260 Change #02-2025 December 1, 2025 FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FNS 260 ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS (ABAWD)

the number of hours the ABAWD must work. The $321 benefit divided by $7.25 equals 44 hours. a. In a household with more than one ABAWD member or a household with more than one ABAWD member and non- ABAWD members, the county may determine how the required hours are distributed among each ABAWD. b. Regardless of the total household obligation for community work experience work hours, an ABAWD cannot be required to work over 120 hours per month. c. NOTE: When performing calculations, round down to the nearest whole number. ABAWDS must not work beyond the number of required hours unless it is voluntary and strictly for training. D. Self-initiated Community Work Experience (work sites) 1. If an ABAWD reports that he is working as a volunteer at a public or private non-profit agency, the work may qualify as a self-initiated community work experience work site. For the work site to qualify as a More Than a Job NC work site, the ABAWD must work the required number of hours as described in C. above, and the agency must be under a work site agreement with the local department of social services.

260.10 ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE A. It is allowable to combine work and participation in the ABAWD Services Program for a portion of the month if there is an average of 20 hours of work and participation per week. B. The Food and Nutrition Act specifically excludes job search and job search training programs as qualifying work programs that will keep ABAWDS eligible for FNS benefits. However, the act does not preclude local departments of social services from requiring ABAWDS to conduct some job search activities while participating in the ABAWD Services Program. In any given month, education and training activities must account for the majority (minimum of 75% or 15 hours) of the time spent in the component.