SNAP Work Rules Script

When conducting SNAP interviews, the worker must explain the Work Registration and ABAWD rights and responsibilities.

You may use the following script when discussing Work Registration and ABAWD in a SNAP interview. The script is a suggestion. The worker should tailor this information to the situation and maintain a conversational tone with the client.

Work Registration

Every household member must register for work and comply with the work requirements unless the member meets a Work Registration exemption.

Exemptions:

These are the possible exemptions. Is anyone in your household:

• younger than age 16, or age 60 or older,
• taking care of a child younger than age 6 or someone who needs help caring for themselves,
• already working at least 30 hours a week,
• already earning $217.50 or more per week,
• receiving unemployment benefits,
• applied for unemployment benefits,
• not working due to a physical or medical condition that affects the ability to work,
• going to school, college, or training program at least half time,
• meeting the work rules for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or
• participating in a drug or alcohol addiction treatment program?

The household members who are exempt or may be exempt based on the verification you provide are…

The household members who must comply with Work Registration are…

Requirements

Registered household members agree to

• accept a job offer of 30 hours per week or more unless there is a good cause reason,
• not voluntarily quit or reduce work effort without good cause when the member works more than 30 hours per week,
• tell us about your job and how much you are working when asked, and,
• comply the unemployment or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work requirements when applicable.

Good Cause

Good cause excuses a household member’s failure to meet the work requirements in situations like these:

• Employer discrimination;
• Unreasonable work conditions (such as working without pay);
• Attending school, training program, or institution of higher education at least half-time;
• Moving to another county or area to allow another household member to accept a job or enroll at least half-time in a school, training program, or institution of higher education;
• Retiring;
• Leaving a job that is no longer suitable;
• Leaving a job where the promised hours of at least 30 hours per week or weekly earnings at least $217.50 per week did not materialize due to the employer’s actions;
• Leaving jobs where there is an occupational pattern (such as migrant farm work, construction, etc.) where workers frequently switch employers: and
• Circumstances beyond the person’s control (such as the illness of a household member, a household emergency, a lack of transportation, and the absence of adequate child care for children 6 through 11 years of age).

DO <insert the names of work registrants> agree to those terms?

Reporting Responsibilities

A household member who loses the exemption after certification, lives in a change reporting household, and must report the change will have to start meeting the Work Registration requirements. When the household is not required to report the change, the requirements will not start until the next certification.

Disqualification

When a household member fails to comply without good cause, the member is subject to a disqualification

• a one month disqualification for the first violation,
• a two month disqualification for the second violation, and
• a six-month disqualification for three or more violations.

When a household member voluntarily quits or reduces work effort without good cause, the member is subject to a disqualification for

• 90 days at initial application or
• three months for ongoing eligibility

ABAWD Work Requirement

ABAWD stands for Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents. ABAWD policy applies to people between the ages of 18 and 52. If not meeting the work requirement of 20 hours a week or an exemption without good cause, ABAWDs may only receive SNAP for three months in a 36-month period.

Exemptions

The following conditions exempt individuals from ABAWD work requirements:

Is anyone in the household:

• Adults in a SNAP household with a household member who is under the age of 18,
• Pregnant,
• Physical or mental condition that effects the ability to work,
• Veterans,
• Homeless Person,
• Ex-Foster Care Individual, or
• Otherwise Exempt from SNAP Work Registration?

If yes, explain needed verification.

The household members who are ABAWD exempt or potentially exempt based on the verification you provide are:

ABAWD Work Requirement

The household member meets the ABAWD work requirements when the member.

• works continuously 20 hours or more per week when averaged monthly;
• participants and complies with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Trade Adjustment Assistance Program, OK SNAP Works, or any employment and training program that services veterans operated by the Department of Labor or the Department of Veterans Affairs for 20 hours or more per week when averaged monthly; or
• completes enough work and work program participation to total 20 hours or more per week when combined and averaged monthly.

The household members who are meeting or potentially meeting the ABAWD work requirement are:

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; or
• a household emergency.

Do any of the non-exempt household members have a temporary reason for not working or participating in a work program 20 hours per week?

Countable Months

The household members using the initial three months are:

They will exhaust eligibility on date XX/XX/XXXX

After the initial three months, ABAWDs not meeting the work requirement or exemption without good cause may not receive SNAP again until 36 months has expired unless-

• they become exempt or
• they regain eligibility by working or participating in a work program for 80 hours in a 30-day period while not receiving SNAP.

Regained Eligibility

The household member(s) who regained three additional months of eligibility by working 80 hours in a 30-day period are:

They will exhaust Y months on XX/XX/XXXX

To continue to be eligible, the household member(s) must meet the ABAWD work requirements or become exempt.

Reporting Requirement

If you are meeting the ABAWD work requirement and your hours drop below 80 hours a month, you will need to report this change.

Provide the OKDHSLive! number to the client: (405) 522-5050.