Effective Date - October 1, 2009

707                 ABAWD Requirements

SNAP – 7 CFR 273.2, .10 - .11 and .24;

The ABAWD requirements have been lifted until 10/01/2010 due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. ABAWDS will still need to be tracked on the WORW screen with a Y or N (no other fields will need to be populated for the ABAWD tracking) but the 3-month limit is no longer in place as of April 1, 2009. Clients will still need to work register and comply with E&T requirements. Pre-April 2009 ABAWD policy has been left in this section below for educational and training purposes.

A.    Understand an ABAWD is subject to all other appropriate SNAP work/work registration requirements.

                              1.    Do not refer an ABAWD individual to the Employment &

                                      Training (E&T) Program, except when an ABAWD

                                      individual is living in Laramie County or Natrona County.

B.    DO NOT allow an ABAWD to receive SNAP benefits for more than three months out of every 36 months unless s/he:

1.    Works 80 or more hours per month; or

2.    Participates in and complies with the requirements of one of the following work programs for 80 hours or more per month:

a.    Workforce Investment Act (WIA), or

b.    Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

3.    Any combination of working and participating in a work program for a total of 80 hours or more per month.

C.   DO NOT apply the benefit limit to an individual if s/he is exempt per policy in Section 706.

D.   Identify each ABAWD in an assistance unit at the time of application or at the time of any status change. 

E.    Inform the ABAWD of the ABAWD work/work registration requirements and send the Notice of ABAWD Status (F109).

F.    Allow a mandatory ABAWD to receive three free months of benefits every 36 months while not meeting the ABAWD work requirements (see B.).

G.   Realize the three months need not be consecutive.

H.   Review the previous 36 months to determine if the ABAWD received benefits.

1.    Count only full benefit months in which the ABAWD received benefits: 

a.    Paid on or after December 1, 1996;

b.    As a mandatory individual;

c.    While not meeting the ABAWD work requirements.

2.    Use FSBH and SEPA, if necessary, to make this determination.

3.    Count full months of benefits received in other states when known.

I.     Allow a mandatory ABAWD previously denied benefits because of the three month limit to regain eligibility for SNAP benefits if, during a 30 day period, the individual:

1.    Works 80 or more hours per month; or

2.    Participates in and cooperates with the requirements of one of the following work programs for 80 or more hours per month:

a.    Workforce Investment Act (WIA); or

b.    Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

3.    Any combination of working and participating in a work program for a total of 80 hours or more per month.

J.    Allow the ABAWD who has regained eligibility to remain eligible as long as s/he meets the ABAWD work requirements.

K.    Apply the following when the ABAWD loses employment:

1.    An ABAWD who regained eligibility and who no longer meets the ABAWD work requirements shall remain eligible for extended benefits for a consecutive three-month period, beginning the first full month after the Benefit Specialist is notified s/he is no longer meeting the work requirements.

2.    An ABAWD is only eligible for one additional three-month period in any 36 months and the three months run consecutively whether or not benefits are received.

L.    Use the following EPICS coding for ABAWD tracking:

1.    Understand the ABTR screen will automatically keep track of any benefits paid in Wyoming;

2.    Out-of-state benefits must be entered manually;

3.    Use the ABTR screen to track the type of benefits, when the individual received the benefits, benefits received out-of-state and the 36-month time frame;

4.    Enter the following codes on WORW each month:

a.    “YN” field:

(1)   “Y” when the individual meets the definition of an ABAWD;

(2)   “N” when the individual does not meet the definition of an ABAWD.

(a)  When the client does not meet the definition of an ABAWD no further coding is required on the WORW screen.

b.    “EX?” field: 

(1)   “Y” when the individual is exempt from the ABAWD requirements for the month (see Section 706);

(2)   “N” when the individual is not exempt from the ABAWD requirements for the month.

c.    “CNT” field:

(1)   “F” when the individual is obligated to meet the ABAWD work requirements but did not and is eligible to receive one of the three “free” months;

(2)   “X” when the benefit is one of the three consecutive months granted to the individual for regaining extended eligibility;

(3)   “N” when the individual meets or has no obligation to meet the work requirements.

M.   Generate one of the following notices when the ABAWD is determined ineligible and change SEPA to “DI” for the ineligible individual:

1.    Denial - ABAWD (F204)

2.    Closure - ABAWD (F404)

3.    Decrease Benefits - ABAWD (F704)