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Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) limits the receipt of SNAP benefits to 3 months in a 3-year period for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) who are not working, participating in, and complying with the requirements of a work program for 20 hours or more each week, or a workfare program.  

Individuals are exempt from this provision if they are:

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under 18 or 50 years of age or older,

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responsible for the care of a child or incapacitated household member,

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medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment, pregnant, or

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already exempt from the work requirements of the Food Stamp Act.

States may request a waiver of this provision for people in areas with an unemployment rate above 10 percent or for those in an area with insufficient jobs.  States also have authority to exempt individuals using the 15% exemption authorized by the Balanced Budget Act.

States frequently assign persons subject to the ABAWD restrictions to their Employment and Training (E&T) Program.  While participating in this program, ABAWDs are exempt from the ABAWD restrictions. For information on the E&T program, go to the Employment & Training page.

More information about ABAWDs

Bullet FY 2011 Allocations of the 15 percent Exemptions for Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDS) Adjusted for Carryover (May 27, 2011) 
Bullet SNAP ABAWD Waivers for FY 2012  (May 3, 2011)
Bullet SNAP ABAWD Waivers for FY 2011
Bullet SNAP - Statewide Able Bodied Adults Without Dependent (ABAWD) Waivers Effective Immediately for Eligible States (Feb. 25, 2009)
Bullet SNAP - ABAWD Statewide Waivers - New Criteria for Unemployment Insurance Extended Benefits Trigger (Jan. 8, 2009)
Bullet 2-Year Approval of Waivers of the Work Requirements for ABAWDS  (Feb. 3, 2006)
Bullet FY 2006 Allocations of the 15 Percent Exemptions for ABAWDS
Bullet FY 2005 Allocations of 15% Exemptions for ABAWDs and Reporting Guidance
   -- Updated State Report Information

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Waiver Requests - Section 824 of PRWORA (ABAWDs) (.pdf) Gives the status of states' requests to waive the new food stamp work requirements for ABAWDs. 

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ABAWD Waivers – New Method for Calculating Average Unemployment Rates (April 22, 2004)

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FY 2004 ABAWD Waiver Request Guidelines  (Mar. 11, 2004)

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Adjusted Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 15 Percent ABAWD Exemptions  (Feb. 17, 2004)

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Fiscal Year 2004 Allocations of 15 Percent Exemptions fof ABAWDS  (Nov. 26, 2003)

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Guidance for States on Use of Discretionary Food Stamp Program Time Limit Exemptions (Feb. 9, 1998)

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Guidance for States Seeking Waivers for Food Stamp Limits  (Dec. 3, 1996)

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Transmittal Letter to Regional Administrators on Guidance to Time Limited Food Stamp Benefits  (Dec. 3, 1996)

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Sample Letter for Regional Administrators to Send Welfare Commissioners on Guidance (Dec. 1, 1996)

   

DOL Labor Surplus Area List
 

Bullet FY 2012 Labor Surplus Area List
Bullet FY 2011 Labor Surplus Area List
Bullet FY 2010 Labor Surplus Area List
Bullet FY 2009 Labor Surplus Area List
Bullet FY 2008 Labor Surplus Area List
Bullet FY 2007 Labor Surplus Area List
Bullet FY 2006 Labor Surplus Area List

Last modified: 01/08/2013