Work Rules for SNAP Clients

Some people getting SNAP age 16 to (and including) age 59 must follow the General Work Rules. Some adults getting SNAP between the ages of 18 through (and including) 64 must also meet the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Work Rules. DTA will send you a letter telling you if and when you have to meet the rules. Below, you can learn if you are exempt from the rules or how to meet them if you are not exempt. You can also further your employment and training goals through DTA Pathways to Work programs even if you do not have to meet the SNAP Work Rules.

General SNAP Work Rules

Following the General SNAP Work Rules

We will send you a notice if you must follow these rules. Check notices we send you in the mail, or on DTA Connect.

To follow the General Work Rules:

• You must accept any job offer, unless there is a good reason you can’t.
• If you earn more than $217.50 per week (before taxes): You can’t quit your job unless you have a good reason or got another job earning $217.50 or more per week.
  • This rule does not apply to you if you are self-employed or an independent contractor.
• If you work 30 or more hours per week: You can’t reduce your hours without a good reason, if reducing your hours means you make less than $217.50 per week.
  • For example, if you earn $16 an hour and you work 30 hours per week, you can’t reduce your hours below 14 hours per week.
     

Exemptions from the General Work Rules

You do not have to follow the General Work Rules if you are considered “exempt.” You are exempt from the General Work Rules if you:

• Are younger than 16 or older than 59
• Are 16 or 17 years old and are not the head of your SNAP household (the person whose name is on the EBT card and on notices sent by DTA)
• Receive TAFDC or EAEDC benefits
• Are pregnant and within 120 days of your due date
• Have a hard time working because of a health problem that substantially reduces or prevents you from working.  This could be mental, physical, sensory, learning, intellectual, cognitive or developmental.
• Receiving services ever received services in the past from Mass Commission for the Blind, Mass Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or the Department of Developmental Services.
• Actively participating in services from Mass Department of Mental Health or MassAbility and your illness/disability is expected last 90 days or more
• Earn $217.50 per week (before taxes), or you make less than this but work 30 or more hours per week.
• Go to school, college, or a training program at least half-time.  This includes training programs, business or technical schools, trade or vocational schools, etc.
• Applied for or get unemployment
• Care for a child under age 6 or an individual (adult or child) that needs your care (this person does not need to live with you or be related to you)
• Are participating in a substance use treatment program

See How to Verify General and ABAWD Work Rules Exemptions below on how to verify an exemption that may apply to you.  
 

If You Do Not Follow the General SNAP Work Rules

If you do not follow these rules, we may reduce or end your SNAP. Before we do that, we will determine if you had a good reason for not following the rules.  Please see the Good Cause section for more information. If you did not have a good reason, you won’t get SNAP for:

• 3 months for the first time,
• 6 months for the second time, and
• 12 months for the third time.

Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Work Rules

Some adults between 18 through (and including) age 64 must meet the ABAWD Work Rules to keep getting SNAP for more than 3 months. You must meet these rules during the current time limit, which is January 1, 2024, until December 31, 2026. 

We will ask you questions to see if you are exempt, and sometimes you will have to provide proof before we tell you that you must meet the rules. 

If we determine you or someone you get SNAP with must meet the rules, we will send you a letter explaining who in your household must meet the rules. To see copies of notices we have mailed you, check DTAConnect.

Exemptions from ABAWD Work Rules

If one or more of the exemptions below apply to you, you do not have to meet the ABAWD Work Rules. If none of the exemptions apply, then you may need to meet the ABAWD Work Rules. We will send you a notice if you must meet these rules.

You are exempt from the ABAWD Work Rules if you:

• Are exempt from the General Work Rules (with the exception being that you are only exempt from the General Work Rules due to being 59 years old or older.  If you are between the ages of 59 through (and including) 64, you may need to meet the ABAWD Work Rules)
• Are under age 18 or age 65 or older
• Can’t work at least 30 hours per week due to a physical or mental health problem. This could be mental, physical, sensory, learning, intellectual, cognitive, developmental, substance dependency or as a survivor of domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault or stalking.
• Live with a child under age 14, even if that person does not receive SNAP
• Are pregnant (any stage of pregnancy)
• Are an American Indian or Alaska Native (as described in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act) 

See How to Verify General and ABAWD Work Rules Exemptions below on how to verify an exemption that may apply to you.   

How to Meet the ABAWD Work Rules

Every month, if you are not exempt, you must follow any one of these rules to keep your SNAP benefits:

1. Work (paid or unpaid) and/or do an approved Employment and Training (E&T) activity 80 hours per month; or
2. Volunteer at a non-profit or public organization for a specified number of hours (If you must meet these rules, we included the number of hours in the notice we sent to you about the ABAWD Work Rules). 

Remember: Tell us if you earn more than $217.50/week before taxes (even if it less than 20 hours/week of work)! If you do, you are exempt from the ABAWD Work Rules.

If you do not follow the ABAWD Work Rules

If you are not exempt and do not meet the ABAWD work rules for any 3 months, you will not be eligible for SNAP until January 1, 2027, unless you start meeting the ABAWD Work Rules.

We will send you notices if you are using your 3 months and end your SNAP due to the Work Rules.

Good Cause

If you are not exempt from either the General or the ABAWD Work Rules but you have a good reason for not following these rules, tell us.  Examples of good reasons include: 

• Getting sick
• Transportation issues
• No available childcare
• Family crisis or emergency (such as a death, health emergency, or domestic violence)
• Unreasonable employment situation or employment offer 

You can upload a written statement through DTA Connect or call the DTA Assistance Line to tell us about the reason why you did not follow the rules. We will let you know if we need any more information.

How to Verify General and ABAWD Work Rules Exemptions

See the table below outlining all of the SNAP Work Rules exemptions and how to verify them:

SNAP Work Rule Type	Exemption	Ways to Verify	Which SNAP Work Rules does this exempt me from?
General Work Rules	Are younger than 16 or older than 59	No verification needed.  DTA will have this information based on your case record.	General Work Rules
General Work Rules	Are 16 or 17 years old and are not the head of your SNAP household (the person whose name is on the EBT card and on notices sent by DTA)	No verification needed.  DTA will have this information based on your case record.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Receive TAFDC or EAEDC benefits	No verification needed.  DTA will have this information based on your case record.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Are pregnant and within 120 days of your due date	Letter or document from your medical provider saying you are pregnant and what your due date is.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Have a hard time working because of a health problem that substantially reduces or prevents you from working.  This could be mental, physical, sensory, learning, intellectual, cognitive or developmental.	You can tell us by calling the DTA Assistance Line at 877-382-2363 to verify your temporary illness or disability over the phone, or you can provide a written self-declaration saying that you are disabled or have a health problem that prevents you from working, that is expected to last 90 days (3 months) or more.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Receiving services ever received services in the past from Mass Commission for the Blind, Mass Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or the Department of Developmental Services.	You can tell us by calling the DTA Assistance Line at 877-382-2363 to verify your temporary illness or disability over the phone, or you can provide a written self-declarationsayingthat you are receiving services or ever received services in the past from Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing or the Department of Developmental Services.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Actively participating in services from Mass Department of Mental Health or MassAbility and your illness/disability is expected last 90 days or more.	You can tell us by calling the DTA Assistance Line at 877-382-2363 to verify your temporary illness or disability over the phone, or you can provide a written self-declarationsayingthatyou are actively participating in services from Massachusetts Department of Mental Health or MassAbility and yourillness/disability is expected to last 90 days (3 months) or more.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Earn $217.50 per week (before taxes), or you make less than this but work 30 or more hours per week.	Pay stubs  or  A letter from your employer showing gross income and number of hours worked.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Go to school, college, or a training program at least half-time.  This includes training programs, business or technical schools, trade or vocational schools, etc.	If you are a student enrolled at least half-time at a business, technical, trade, or vocational school, college, university, correspondence school, or an online school, you need to meet certain eligibility criteria.     DTA staff will let you know if verification of student eligibility is needed.   If you are participating in a training program, you can provide a letter from the training program stating the start and end date of the program, and what the training is intended for.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Applied for or get unemployment	If you have applied for or are receiving unemployment in Massachusetts, no additional verification needed.  DTA has this information.  If you have applied for or are receiving unemployment benefits from another state, you must provide proof of the unemployment income, such as the benefit award letter.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Care for a child under age 6 or an individual (adult or child) that needs your care (this person does not need to live with you or be related to you)	If a child under 6 lives with you and is in your SNAP household, no verification is needed.  DTA will have this information based on your case record.  If you are caring for a child under the age of 6, and they are not part of your SNAP household, you must provide a letter from the child’s parent/guardian stating you care for the child and if you receive any pay.    If you are caring for a person with a disability (who resides in your home or not), have the medical provider of the person you are caring for complete the SNAP Caring for a Person with a Disability Form or provide a letter from the person’s medical provider stating that that this person needs consistent care.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
General Work Rules	Are participating in a substance use treatment program	Letter from the Substance Use Treatment Program stating you are actively participating in the program.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
ABAWD Work Rules	Are exempt from the General Work Rules (with the exception being that you are only exempt from the General Work Rules due to being 59 years old or older.  If you are between the ages of 59 through (and including) 64, you may need to meet the ABAWD Work Rules)	No verification needed.  DTA will have this information based on your case record.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
ABAWD Work Rules	Are under age 18 or age 65 or older	No verification needed.  DTA will have this information based on your case record.	General and ABAWD Work Rules
ABAWD Work Rules	Can’t work/trainat least 30 hours per week due to a physical or mental health problem. This could be mental, physical, sensory, learning, intellectual, cognitive, developmental, substance dependency or as a survivor of domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault or stalking.	A letter stating that you are unable to work 30 or more hours per week due to having a health problem.   The letter must be written by:  a doctor,  physician assistant, nurse practitioner, osteopath, psychiatrist, podiatrist, licensed clinical social worker, or licensed mental health counselor.  If you are having a hard time getting verification of why you are unable to work, contact the DTA Assistance Line at 877-382-2363 for help.	ABAWD Work Rules
ABAWD Work Rules	Live with a child under age 14, even if that person does not receive SNAP	No verification needed.  DTA will have this information based on your case record.	ABAWD Work Rules
ABAWD Work Rules	Are pregnant (any stage of pregnancy)	A letter or document from your medical provider or from a healthcare organization saying that you are pregnant and your anticipated due date, if known.    WIC documentation showing that you are receiving benefits as a pregnant person.  MassHealth confirmation of pregnancy-related coverage, benefits, or other information saying you are pregnant.  Blood test results, ultrasound documentation, prenatal care documentation, or patient portal documentation confirming pregnancy.  Appointment confirmation with an OB/GYN, prenatal clinic, community health center, hospital, or other provider (when the documentation indicates the appointment is pregnancy-related).  Collateral contact with WIC, MassHealth, a medical provider, clinic, hospital, community health center, or other pregnancy-related service provider that can confirm the pregnancy based on its records.	ABAWD Work Rules
ABAWD Work Rules	Are an American Indian or Alaska Native (as described in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act)	Tribal enrollment or membership card  Certificate of Degree of Indian/Alaska Native Blood (CDIB)  Letter from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) or tribal government  Documentation reflecting an Interior or HHS determination  Proof of residence in the urban center (e.g., ID, lease, mail) plus evidence meeting one of the criteria’s above.    Letter/card from an IHS‑funded Urban Indian Organization confirming eligibility as an “eligible urban Indian.”  Official tribal letter acknowledging membership of or descent from Indians residing in California on June 1, 1852;    Proof of trust/allotment interests such as: patents or deeds, Probate Inventory Report, IIM (Individual Indian Money) account statement, BIA-approved lease, mortgage, or other LTRO-recorded instrument, or BIA Title Status Report (TSR)	ABAWD Work Rules

Remember: We will ask you questions during your interview to see if you are exempt and explain what is needed before we tell you that you must meet the rules. 

SNAP Work Rules Explanation Video

If DTA told you that you or someone in your household is required to follow the General Work Rules or meet the ABAWD Work Rules, you can watch DTA’s SNAP Work Rules Explanation video available in multiple languages. This video will explain the Work Rules to you.  If you have any questions about the Work Rules, please contact DTA.   

Please see the below videos to listen to the work rules in your preferred language:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I meet the ABAWD Work Rules by Volunteering?

Visit SNAPPathtoWork.org to find a volunteer site in your area.  You can also find your own non-profit or public volunteer site in your community, such as at a public library or a food pantry. If you meet the rules by volunteering, you can verify this by completing an ABAWD Work Program Participation Report Form (WPPR) at each reporting period.  If you need help, please call 877-382-2363 so that we can discuss the next steps.

How do I meet the ABAWD Work Rules through an E&T Activity?

You can meet the rules through the SNAP Path to Work program. To learn more about these free trainings, including certificate programs at community colleges, internships, the Work Participant Program through your local MassHire Career Center, and more, visit: SNAPPathtoWork.org. Some programs are virtual. DTA can help pay for transportation. For more information, call 888-483-0255.

What if I am Already Participating in an Employment and Training Activity or Volunteering at a Public or Nonprofit Organization?

Let us know as soon as possible! If you are already volunteering at a public or nonprofit organization, ask the volunteer coordinator to fill out and submit the ABAWD Work Program Participation Report Form (WPPR) so that DTA can verify that you are meeting the ABAWD Work Rules by volunteering.

If you are already participating in an Employment and Training Program that DTA doesn’t know about, ask your training provider to fill out and submit the ABAWD Training Program Information Request Form (TPIR) so that DTA can determine if your participation in the program meets the ABAWD Work Rules. If you have more questions about the ABAWD Work Rules, call 877-382-2363 for more information.

Become a Volunteer Site

If your organization is a public or nonprofit entity that can offer volunteer opportunities for DTA clients, we would love to partner with your organization and list it on our website, SNAPPathtoWork.org. To add your organization to the site, please complete the Volunteer Site Form. 

Find answers to common questions about becoming a SNAP Work Rules volunteer site in the SNAP Work Rules Volunteer Site Guide, including information on participation forms, requirements, and site responsibilities.