PM 03-25-06: How a Change in Work Status Affects Eligibility

WAG 03-25-06

 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 text10/31/2023 based on Illinois' high unemployment rate. For more information about the State's operation under COVID-19 see WAG 25-06-07-p.

The SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited benefits policy below is NOT in effect for any county in the State through revised manual text10/31/2023.

Child Turning 18

The ABAWD Time-Limit Clocks starts the first full month of a child's 18th birthday when there is no other child in the SNAP household under the age of 18 and the individual does not qualify for any other exemption. A month is considered a full month when the child's birthday:

  • is on the 1st day of the month; or
  • the month after a child's 18th birthday, if not on the 1st day of the month.

Change in ABAWD Status

  • A change from a person who is not meeting the Work Requirement to a person who is exempt from the Work Requirement is effective the month the change is reported.
  • The status of a person meeting the Work Requirement changes to not meeting the Work Requirement in the month in which the nonexempt person becomes non-compliant and is considered a countable unmet month.
  • A person turning 50 years old becomes exempt from the Work Requirement in the month of their birthday.

Case Transfers

The SNAP Work Requirement only applies to SNAP households whose place of residence is in a non-waived county WAG 25-06-07-o, regardless of where their case is serviced (Office of Choice).