OLGT 2019-69: SNAP: ABAWD Work Program Notice Updates and Name Change

Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) are required to meet the ABAWD Work Rules to remain eligible for SNAP benefits for more than 3 months during the 3-year ABAWD clock.  For each month that the ABAWD does not meet the requirement, s/he incurs a strike.  After three strikes, the ABAWD is sanctioned from receiving SNAP benefits for the remainder of the three-year period unless s/he regains eligibility by meeting the requirement or becoming exempt.  

The ABAWD notice process has been updated as follows:

• The notice of adverse action has been removed from the ABAWD Strike 2 notice; 
• The Strike 3 sanction will be entered and the relevant EBC notice will be sent 10 days before the FMCS Release Date; and 
• The language on each strike notice has been updated.

Additionally, since the ABAWD requirements do not actually constitute a program that is independent from SNAP, the ABAWD Work Program has been renamed the ABAWD Work Rules. This change recognizes that the ABAWD requirements are part of SNAP as an eligibility component. Notices and Online Guide pages will be updated incrementally to reflect this change.