WAG 03-25-02-a ABAWD Time Limit Clock

PM 03-25-02-a

Effective 07/01/2022, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) waiver approval allows the entire State to continue to be exempt from the SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited Benefits policy in this section through revised text10/31/2025 based on Illinois' high unemployment rate. deleted text 

3-Year Fixed Period

The new 36-month period is a fixed 3-year period that begins 01/01/2024 and ends 12/31/2026.

The SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited benefits policy below is not in effect for any county in the State through revised text10/31/2025.

Starting the ABAWD Time Limit Clock

The SNAP Work Requirement applies to all initial applications, REDEs and active cases in non-waived counties of the State.

  1. (FCRC) The question in IES, "Is anyone in the household subject to the work rules (TANF Work & Training/SNAP Work Provisions or Requirements)?" on the Non-Financial - Questions screen will default to (Yes) if individuals in the household meet the criteria for work rules. 
  2. (FCRC) For households that contain individuals who meet the ABAWD criteria (PM 03-25-01), the question to, "Would you like to review the SNAP Work Requirements screen?" should be answered (Yes).  This is necessary for the additional screens to display that allows the HSC to make the eligibility determination for an exemption.  If an individual is exempt but later becomes nonexempt, the HSC must change the previous response prior to certifying the case.
  3. (FCRC) Review the ABAWD Time-Limit Clock when changes are reported to ensure that it accurately reflects a met or unmet month for the customer. 
  4. (IES) Determines an ABAWD at the individual level. An individual who is a mandatory ABAWD displays on the IES "EDG Summary" page. When eligibility runs, the ABAWD Time Limit Clock will count unless the month is shown met.
  5. (IES) Automatically sets the ABAWD Time-Limit Clock as unmet at the schedule cut off prior to the time-limit countable month, except for the application month.
    1. Example: Mr. Q applies for SNAP on revised text03/20/2024 and the HSC processes the application on revised text04/01/2024. At the time of application Mr. Q is not meeting the Work Requirement. March is an application prorated month.
Eligibility Month      IES Actions 

Action Date is Schedule cut off, except for the application month.

For the month of application, the Time Limited Clock will count the month met/unmet on the day the application is processed.
revised text04/01/2024 ABAWD Month 1 (Unmet) revised text04/01/2024
revised text05/01/2024 ABAWD Month 2 (Unmet) revised text04/15/2024
revised text06/01/2024

ABAWD Month 3 (Unmet) and

Mass Change Trigger Closure created

 revised text05/15/2024
revised text07/01/2024 SNAP Closure revised text05/16/2024 (Processing effective July, schedule cut-off revised text06/17/2024)

Overriding the ABAWD Time-Limit Clock

Perform a manual override when changes are reported and the ABAWD Time - Limited Clock does not accurately reflect a customer's met or unmet month. 

  1. (FCRC) Answer (Yes) to the question, "Would you like to review the SNAP Work Requirements screen?"
  2. (FCRC) On the SNAP Work Requirement - Details screen, complete the SNAP Work Requirement Dates section. Save and continue to the Time-Limited SNAP Clock screen, remove the date for the month that requires the override.
  3. (FCRC) Indicate the appropriate Override Reason. The Override Reason must be entered but will not be saved. The Override reason must be added to Case Comments. Save and continue.
  4. (FCRC) Run eligibility and certify.