Participating in and complying with a workfare program (hours vary depending on the SNAP grant amount). Failure to meet the ABAWD work requirement limits ABAWDs to three months of SNAP eligibility in a 36 month period, unless the individual is living in a waived area or meets an exemption from ABAWD requirements. The ABAWD requirements were set by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). A state or area(s) within the state may qualify for a waiver of the ABAWD time limit if it has an unemployment rate over 10 percent or does not have a sufficient number of jobs. Due to the high unemployment rate in the past, Pennsylvania (PA) has qualified for a statewide waiver of ABAWD requirements since 2009. PA will not longer qualify for a statewide waiver after December 31, 2015. However, some PA counties and cities may continue to qualify for geographic waivers of the ABAWD time limit due to local unemployment rates. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub L. 105-33, Section 1001) permits states to exempt up to 15 percent of the ABAWD population from the work requirement. DISCUSSION Pennyslvania will use the 15 percent exemption for all ABAWD individuals for the month of January and February 2016. ABAWD individuals who are not otherwise exempt will be required to participate in an ABAWD work requirement beginning March 1, 2016. Beginning January 1, 2016 all SNAP applicants and recipients who: Are age 18-49 and do not meet an exemption by law; and Do not live in a waived geographical area; and Are not meeting an ABAWD work requirement (which can include participation in an allowable SNAP E&T component or workfare) for SNAP will be subject to the ABAWD time-limit of three months of SNAP benefits within a 36-month period. To be exempt from the ABAWD requirements and time-limited benefits, a person must be meeting one of the following: Under 18 or over 49 years of age Living in a geographical waived area
Participating in and complying with a workfare program (hours vary depending on the SNAP grant amount). Failure to meet the ABAWD work requirement limits ABAWDs to three months of SNAP eligibility in a 36 month period, unless the individual is living in a waived area or meets an exemption from ABAWD requirements. The ABAWD requirements were set by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA). A state or area(s) within the state may qualify for a waiver of the ABAWD time limit if it has an unemployment rate over 10 percent or does not have a sufficient number of jobs. Due to the high unemployment rate in the past, Pennsylvania (PA) has qualified for a statewide waiver of ABAWD requirements since 2009. PA will not longer qualify for a statewide waiver after December 31, 2015. However, some PA counties and cities may continue to qualify for geographic waivers of the ABAWD time limit due to local unemployment rates. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub L. 105-33, Section 1001) permits states to exempt up to 15 percent of the ABAWD population from the work requirement. DISCUSSION Pennyslvania will use the 15 percent exemption for all ABAWD individuals for the month of January and February 2016. ABAWD individuals who are not otherwise exempt will be required to participate in an ABAWD work requirement beginning March 1, 2016. Beginning January 1, 2016 all SNAP applicants and recipients who: Are age 18-49 and do not meet an exemption by law; and Do not live in a waived geographical area; and Are not meeting an ABAWD work requirement (which can include participation in an allowable SNAP E&T component or workfare) for SNAP will be subject to the ABAWD time-limit of three months of SNAP benefits within a 36-month period. To be exempt from the ABAWD requirements and time-limited benefits, a person must be meeting one of the following: Under 18 or over 49 years of age Living in a geographical waived area
OPS%20Memo-ABAWD%20final.docx