The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has granted a statewide waiver for California of the CalFresh Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) time limit from July 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021.
FNS issued new regulations about when states can be eligible for waivers of the time limit. Those regulations have been enjoined while litigation continues. While the injunction is in place, FNS is using the prior regulations to decide waiver requests. Under the prior regulations, California qualified for a statewide wavier because it now qualifies to extended unemployment benefits.
While the new ABAWD waiver is in effect, counties must 1) screen for exemptions and inform clients of the ABAWD rule, 2) track and report registrant, ABAWD, and Employment and Training data, and 3) sanction CalFresh work registrants who voluntarily quit a job of 30 hours per week or more.
Individuals who were previously discontinued from CalFresh for not meeting the ABAWD work requirement can reapply and be approved for benefits. (ACL 20-90, August 20, 2020.)