SNAP Work Requirements

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, who are ages 16-59 and who do not meet a work registration exemption, must register for work. 

  • Work registrants are required to register for work and comply with the following work requirements
    • Register for work at the time of application and every 12 months thereafter;
    • Provide sufficient information for DFCS to determine employment status or job availability of the individual;
    • Participate in the SNAP Works Program, if assigned and as required by the program;
    • Accept an offer of employment paying at least the minimum wage at a site or plant not subject to strike or lockout at the time of offer;
    • Report to an employer if the employment meets the requirements for suitable employment;
    • Work 30 hours or more a week without voluntarily quitting or voluntarily reducing work hours to less than 30 hours per week. 
  • Reporting requirements
    • All SNAP households are required to report when their total gross monthly income exceeds 130% of the Federal Poverty Limit for the household size.
    • If you are a working adult between the ages of 18-65 and NOT responsible for the dependent care of a child under 14 years old in the SNAP household, you must report when your work hours fall below 20 hours a week or an average of 80 hours per month within 10 days from the end of the month in which the change occurred.
    • If anyone in the SNAP household wins more than $4500 in a month from lottery or gambling winnings, prizes, awards, and/or windfalls.
  • Failure to Comply with SNAP work requirements
    • Work registrants who fail, without good cause, or refuse to cooperate with SNAP work requirements are sanctioned, which means that the work registrant who failed or refused to cooperate cannot receive benefits. Even though the sanctioned work registrant does not receive benefits, his/her resources and income may be counted to determine eligibility and the benefit amount for family members who may continue to receive benefits.  Note: Volunteers are not subject to sanction.
    • If a sanction is applied, the sanctioned work registrant is not included in the SNAP benefits for the minimum period or until compliance, whichever is longer. After the minimum sanction period has been served, the sanctioned individual may contact the agency to make arrangements to comply with the requirements.
    • A sanction remains in place until the work registrant complies, except for voluntarily quitting a job or reducing work hours sanctions. Sanctions for voluntary quit and reduction of your hours are imposed only for the appropriate minimum periods. If it is determined that there was good cause for failure to comply, a sanction is not applied.

    The minimum sanction periods are as follows:

    • First failure or refusal to comply — one month or until compliance, whichever is longer
    • Second failure or refusal to comply — three months or until compliance, whichever is longer
    • Third and subsequent failures or refusals to comply — six months or until compliance, whichever is longer.

If you are an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) you may have additional work requirements to remain SNAP eligible. To learn more, click here

If you need assistance with finding employment, we may be able to help. To learn more, click here.