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NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance- TA and SNAP Employment Policy Manual Section 385.3 - Page 18 Rev. 4/2025 ABAWDs are work registrants who are NOT:  under age 18 or older than age 54 – The district must track the continued SNAP eligibility of all ABAWDs through the certification period. The month in which an individual turns 18 is an exempt month for ABAWD requirements. When a household recertifies and the youngest member of the SNAP household will turn 18 before the next recertification date, the household must be informed of the ABAWD requirements. Similarly, an ABAWD who turns 55 during a certification period is no longer subject to ABAWD requirements from the date of the individual’s 55th birthday;  any adult residing in a SNAP household (see definition at 18 NYCRR 387.1(w)) where a household member is under 18 years of age – Any adult in the SNAP household, regardless of responsibility for a household member under the age of 18, is exempt from the ABAWD requirements;  pregnant– A pregnant individual is exempt from the ABAWD requirements throughout the entire pregnancy;  homeless – An individual who lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence; or whose primary nighttime residence is a supervised shelter, halfway house, temporary accommodation of 90 days or less in another individual’s residence, or a place not designed for regular use as a sleeping accommodation (i.e. a bus station, lobby or similar places).  a veteran – For the purposes of this exemption, a veteran is defined as any individual who served in the United States Armed Forces, including any reserve component of the Armed Forces, and who was discharged or released therefrom, regardless of the conditions of their discharge or release. OTDA has interpreted “veteran” to include those in receipt of VA disability compensation.  an individual who is 24 years of age or younger and was in foster care on their 18th birthday - This includes any individual who was in a foster care program run by the State, District, Territory, or Indian Tribal Organization as of their 18th birthday or later and who is under 25 years of age.  determined by the district to be medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment – Individuals are unfit for employment when a social services official deems it reasonably evident that they are either mentally or physically unfit. Where the unfitness is not reasonably evident, the individuals are medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment when: ➢ they are receiving temporary or permanent disability benefits issued by governmental or private sources, or ➢ such individuals provide a statement from a medical professional the district determines appropriate, that they are physically or mentally unfit for work. Individuals determined work-limited in either the type of work or the number of hours they can work, may be required to participate in employment programs as long as their limitations are accommodated. However, individuals whose limitations preclude