Work Rules for SNAP Clients

Some people getting SNAP age 16 to (and including) age 59 ¬must follow the General Work Rules. And, some adults getting SNAP age 18 to (and including) age 54 must also meet the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) work rules. Many people do not have to meet SNAP work rules because they are exempt. 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.

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 you 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 (in your second or third trimester)
• 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 refugee 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 that needs your care (this person does not need to live with you)
• Are participating in a substance use treatment program

Tell DTA if any of the above apply to you. You can tell us during your application or recertification interview. Or, send us a written statement through DTAConnect or call the DTA Assistance Line.  We will let you know if we need any more information.
 

Good cause

If you are not exempt 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.
 

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.  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 without children between 18 through (and including) age 54 must meet the ABAWD Work Rules to keep 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.

Many people do not have to meet these rules because they are exempt. We will ask you questions to see if you are exempt 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
• Are under age 18 or age 55 or older
• Can’t work at least 20 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.
• Are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
• Have served in any of the U.S. Armed Services or are a Veteran (including the Reserves or as a commissioned officer at certain agencies) regardless of the conditions of discharge or release
• Are age 24 or younger, and was in state foster care on or after your 18th birthday
• Live with a child under age 18, even if that person does not receive SNAP
• Are pregnant (any stage of pregnancy)
• Live in an area of the state waived from these rules due to higher rates of unemployment. See section titled Waived Areas below

In most cases, you can tell DTA if you meet an exemption during your application or recertification interview.  Upload a written statement on DTAConnect or call the DTA Assistance Line to tell us about an exemption that now applies to you.  We will tell you if we need any more information.

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 notices 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.

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.  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.

Waived Areas

Certain areas of Massachusetts with higher rates of unemployment are exempt from the ABAWD work rules. Areas are exempt if they have unemployment rates of over 10 percent, or there are not enough jobs for the individuals living there. You are exempt from the ABAWD work rules if you live in one of these waived areas.

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, www.snappathtowork.org . To add your organization to the site, please complete the Volunteer Site Form.