Work Requirements
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Do I have to work to get SNAP?
Many people must meet a work requirement to qualify for assistance, but others are exempt from the requirement.
People who are not exempt must register for the SNAP employment and training program, search for a job, and accept any appropriate job that is offered. The ISD decides if a job is appropriate or not.
Adults age 18 through 50 who do not have children and are not exempt have special work rules. People in this category can only get assistance for 3 months in a 3-year period unless they work a minimum of twenty hours per week. Work can be paid or unpaid.
Who is exempt from the work requirement?
You are exempt from the employment and training requirement if:
- you are younger than 16 or older than 60
- you are 16 or 17 years old and not the head of household
- you have a physical or mental condition, either permanent or temporary, that prevents you from working
- you are caring for a dependent child under age 6, whether or not that child is part of your household
- you are caring for an incapacitated person, whether or not that person is part of your household
- you are meeting the work requirements of another assistance program such as TANF
- you are getting unemployment compensation benefits and meeting program requirements
- you are working 30 hours a week or earning an amount at least equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 30 hours
- you are taking part in an approved drug or alcohol treatment program
- you are a student, half-time or more
- you have applied for SSI and are waiting for a decision
You are exempt from the 20-hour-a-week work requirement for adults without children if:
- you meet any of the conditions listed above
- or you are pregnant
- or there is a child under 18 in your food stamp household.
What happens if I don't meet the work requirement?
If you don't meet the work requirement and you don't have a good reason, you can be disqualified from SNAP. The ISD looks at each situation on a case-by-case basis before making a decision. If you are disqualified, you will not be eligible for benefits for a period of time. However, your income and resources will still be counted in determining your household's eligibility.
You will not be disqualified if you cannot find a suitable job or you have good cause. The ISD has final say if a job is suitable or not, or if you have good cause.
A job may be unsuitable if the wages are too low, there are health or safety risks, the distance to the job is too far, the job interferes with your religious beliefs, or certain other reasons.
You may have good cause for not meeting the work requirement if you are ill, there is a household emergency, you cannot find transportation or child care, you are facing discrimination, you are not being paid on time, or certain other circumstances that are beyond your control.
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