FNS Documents & Resources

Section 6(o) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, limits the time able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) can receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to 3 months in any 36-month period, unless the individual meets the ABAWD work requirement or is otherwise exempt.

This is a follow-up of our memorandum of Feb. 3, 2006, authorizing 2-year waivers of the work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents. Since we issued the original memorandum, we have received several requests in which state agencies have requested waivers under which they proposed to include the same jurisdiction in waivers covering two different approval periods.

At the request of the state agencies, SNAP offered a two-year ABAWD waiver under limited circumstances.