All SNAP recipients are subject to the SNAP Work Requirements. If a participant does not meet a Work Registration exemption; and agrees to register to work, they are considered ABAWD and subject to weekly work requirements. If they do not meet those requirements, they could be disqualified from SNAP.

If the participant meets any ABAWD exemptions, they are exempt from ABAWD work requirements and are eligible to participate in OK SNAP Works without time limits. If the participant does not meet any ABAWD exemptions, they would need to be automatically screened for OK SNAP Works and referred if they choose to do so. Participants who are coded ABAWD must follow these work requirements:

• They must participate in and comply with the requirements of a work program for a minimum of 20 hours per week averaged monthly. Work programs include
  • an Oklahoma Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Works (OK SNAP Works) assignment, not including job search, supervised job search, or job search training activities. However, if any of these activities are offered as part of other program components, are acceptable if those activities comprise less than half the total required time spent in components;
  • any employment and training program that serves veterans operated by the Department of Labor or Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Participants can also meet the work requirement by being employed for a minimum of 20 or more hours per week averaged monthly.
• Participants can also complete enough work and work program participation to total 20 hours or more per week when combined and averaged monthly.
• Volunteering or working in return for goods or services can also help to meet the weekly work requirement.
• Participants can also claim “good cause.” Good cause temporarily excuses a household member’s failure to meet the ABAWD work requirement. Good cause includes but is not limited to:
  • Illness;
  • Illness of another household member requiring the presence of the ABAWD;
  • Unavailability of transportation
  • A household emergency

Participation in the OK SNAP Works program is voluntary and can assist in meeting the 20 work hours per week requirement if it meets the criteria regarding the activities of job search, supervised job search, or job search training activities. Since we are telling SNAP participants that they must meet work hours or they will lose their benefits due to ABAWD, we want to provide them with a way to meet those requirements and that is the OK SNAP Works program. A referral alone does not meet the ABAWD exemption

Please complete ABAWD lookbacks at each section and always update the ABWU screen and case note all changes.