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VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES WORK REQUIREMENT

10/25 VOLUME V, PART XV, PAGE 2

Months in which a household receives prorated benefits will not count toward the three-month limit. Months in which a household does not receive an allotment because benefits are prorated to zero (i.e., less than $10) will also not count toward the limit. Months in which a certified household is eligible to receive benefits but does not actually participate do not count toward the three-month period. Months for which a household repays benefits received erroneously also will not count toward the three-month limit once the household repays the claim in full.

For the purposes of this provision, a work program will include programs operated under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act in addition to the agency-sponsored employment and training programs. Job search activities assigned through SNAP E&T or other state or local social services programs are not acceptable tasks to count toward establishing a household member’s eligibility for continuing benefits beyond the initial three-month limit. Job search activities assigned through WIOA will be evaluated as an acceptable task, however.

An unemployed (0 work hours) or underemployed (<30 work hours) individual is not entitled to additional benefits during the balance of the 36-month period after receiving benefits for three countable months, unless the individual meets an exemption from the work requirement or meets the regaining provisions of Part XV.C. The BPS must send an advance notice to participating households when a member becomes ineligible to participate further because of the work requirement. Such a household member is a disqualified household member during any period in which the individual does not meet the work requirement. See Parts VI.C and XII.E for a discussion of disqualified household members.

Ongoing households with members who are not eligible because of the work requirement must continue to report changes involving these members.

B. WORK REQUIREMENT EXEMPTIONS

The following individuals are exempt from the work requirement:

1. Any individual who is under 18 years of age or 65 years of age or older. See Part XIII.A.2.

2. Any individual who is medically certified as mentally or physically unfit for work or has other barriers that make them unfit for work, such as chronic homelessness. Chronic homelessness is defined as meeting at least one of the components of the homeless household found in Definitions for six months or more.

3. Any adult member of a SNAP household of which a child under age 14 is part of the SNAP household.

4. A pregnant woman.

5. Any resident of an exempt locality. The exemption may be based on the unemployment rate of the locality or its identification as a Labor Surplus Area.

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