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 New Manual Material10/31/2023 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.

Starting the ABAWD Time Limit Clock

The SNAP Work Requirement applies to all initial applications, REDEs and active cases in non waived counties (Cook County and DuPage County) of the State.

  1. (FCRC) Answer the question in IES, "Is there a SNAP unit member age (18-49) potentially subject to the SNAP Work Requirement?" in the "Time-Limited Section" of the "Non-Financial Question Summary" screen. IES will default to (No), if the question is not answered. This may result in the person not being properly identified as an ABAWD. 
  2. (FCRC) The question should be answered (Yes) if the individual meets the ABAWD criteria (PM 03-25-01), even if the individual qualifies for an exemption. 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 to the Gate Post question when removing the exemption and 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 03/20/2020 and the HSC processes the application on 04/01/2020. 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.
04/01/2020 ABAWD Month 1 (Unmet) 04/01/2020
05/01/2020 ABAWD Month 2 (Unmet) 04/15/2020
06/01/2020

ABAWD Month 3 (Unmet) and

Mass Change Trigger Closure created

 05/15/2020
07/01/2020 SNAP Closure 05/16/2020 (Processing effective July, schedule cut-off 06/15/2020)

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, "Is there a SNAP unit member (age 18-49) potentially subject to the SNAP work requirement?"
  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.