SNAP: What to know about expanded work requirements about to kick in

After the devastating US government shutdown, federal food aid for SNAP is once again flowing to low-income families. But in the coming months, many participants will have to comply with new work requirements.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides monthly benefits — averaging about $190 per person — to about 42 million people nationwide. During the first two weeks of November, many of those recipients missed their regular allotments as President Donald Trump’s administration battled in court over whether to tap reserves to fund the program during the government shutdown.

Here’s what to know about SNAP:

Benefits available nationwide after lapses

In the first part of the month, the situation was chaotic after the federal government said SNAP would not be funded due to the government shutdown.

Some states have renewed electronic benefit cards used in the program either in whole or in part, using their own funds or federal dollars that were part of court orders. Others didn’t.

Most states promoted food charities, but lines were long and some shelves were empty.

Once the government reopened on November 12, many states rushed to get benefits.

By Tuesday, all states had either loaded the full month of November benefits onto people’s electronic spending cards or were working on doing so, according to a review by The Associated Press. Participants should receive their SNAP benefits for December according to their regular schedule.

More SNAP recipients will face work requirements

A massive tax and spending bill, which Trump signed into law in July, expanded requirements for many adult SNAP recipients to work, volunteer or participate in job training for at least 80 hours per month. Those who don’t are limited to three months of benefits in a three-year period.

The work requirements previously applied to adults ages 18 to 54 who were physically and mentally able and had no dependents. The new law also applies these requirements to those ages 55 to 64 and to parents who do not have children under 14 years of age. It eliminates work exemptions for homeless individuals, veterans, and youth out of foster care. It limits states’ ability to waive work requirements in job-poor areas.

The Trump administration waived the work requirements in November, but the three-month work-free period for SNAP benefits will be in full effect in December.

The new requirements are expected to reduce the average monthly number of SNAP recipients by about 2.4 million people over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Agriculture Secretary casts doubt on SNAP

In the wake of the shutdown, Agriculture Secretary Brock Rollins, whose department administers SNAP, questioned the program. Rollins said it is rife with fraud, including deceased people receiving benefits and some people receiving multiple benefits.

Rollins suggested that everyone who receives SNAP be required to reapply. But it’s not clear whether Rollins is proposing an additional requirement or referring to the existing requirement that requires people to periodically re-certify their income and other information.

An Agriculture Department spokesperson did not elaborate, but instead said in a statement that standard household recertifications are part of a plan to eliminate fraud, abuse and waste.

Under federal law, most families must report their income and basic information every four to six months and fully recertify for SNAP at least every 12 months. Full rehabilitation can take place every 24 months for families in which all adults are 60 or older or have disabilities.

But states can require more frequent eligibility checks. Last year, 27 states required at least some families to fully recertify every four to six months, depending on their family circumstances, according to the USDA report.