2520 Able-bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) - Able bodied adults aged 18 through 54 without dependents in the home, can only receive food assistance for 3-months in a 36-month period while they are not meeting the work requirement of items 1 or 2 below. For ease of administration and tracking, the State is adopting a FIXED 36-month period for all persons identified as ABAWDS in the State. The current 36-month period is 10/2022 through 9/2025.

ABAWDS who are not meeting 30-hours per week of work requirements are required to participate in the Food Assistance E&T program. Failure to meet the Food Assistance E&T requirements will result in a food assistance violation. The first failure to meet these requirements will result in a 3-month violation. The second failure to meet these requirements will result in a 6-month violation. The third failure to meet these requirements will result in a 1-year violation. Violation will run separately from ABAWD months. If a client serves the violation period, but has used their three ABAWD months, they will not be eligible for Food Assistance until ABAWD eligibility is regained unless they become exempt from ABAWD requirements during the violation period.

NOTE: Months of ABAWD participation in another State count against the 3-month limit in Kansas. If at application, the person indicates receipt of benefits in another State during the Kansas fixed 36-month period, part of the verification that the case is closed in the other State must include verification of receipt of benefits as an ABAWD. These months would be indicated on the system.  See the KEES User Manual for further information on system processing.

Examples: Joe ABAWD gets 3-months of food assistance while not meeting the ABAWD work requirement from 7/2023 through 9/2023. Joe ABAWD cannot receive food assistance again until 10/2025, unless he meets the work requirement, qualifies for the one-time 3-month extension, or becomes a non-ABAWD.

To receive food assistance past the 3-month period, the individual must meet the following work requirement:

1. Working at least 20 hours per week (averaged monthly). This includes in-kind work and unpaid employment (volunteering).
   
   NOTE: If an individual would have worked an average of 20 hours per week, but missed some work for good cause, the individual shall be considered to have met the work requirement if the absence from work is temporary and the individual retains their job. Good cause shall include circumstances beyond the individual's control, such as, but not limited to illness, illness of another household member requiring the presence of the member, a household emergency or the unavailability of transportation.
   
   

   NOTE: Verification that the individual is working an average of 20 hours per week is mandatory. See 1322.1 (8).
   
   Also see 9122.8 (2) regarding reported changes in the number of hours worked to below 20-hours per week.
   
   NOTE: An individual employed by VISTA for an average of 20 hours per week would meet this criteria even if the income is not countable. In addition, in-kind income would also count for meeting the ABAWD work requirement as long as the person is working an average of 20 hours per week.
    

2. Participating in and complying with one of the following programs for 20 hours or more per week:
   
   
   1. Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA) or Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program.
      
      
   2. Persons participating in the Food Assistance E&T Program. ABAWDS must be engaged in countable activities.
      
      
   3. Participating in a work program with a Refugee-funded Social Service Agency;
      
      
   4. Participating in another approved training program. Must be referred to EES Administration (Food Assistance Program Manager or Work Programs Manager) for approval.
      
      

   NOTE: It will be important to verify that the person is participating in the training program for at least 20 hours per week. Failure on the part of the ABAWD to meet and or verify this requirement must be reported to the appropriate BPM team and will result in that month being counted against their 3-month limit.