Able-bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)

Aside from the ABAWD Work Rules and Time Limits, FNS also has General Work Registration Requirements that have not changed since H.R. 1 and still apply to all FNS participants.

To follow the General Work Rules:

• Registering for work (your caseworker will explain and do this for you),
• You must accept any job offer, unless there is a good reason you can’t.
• If you earn more than $217.50 per week (before taxes): You can’t quit your job unless you have a good reason or got another job earning $217.50 or more per week.
  • This rule does not apply to you if you are self-employed.
• If you work 30 or more hours per week: You can’t reduce your hours without a good reason, if reducing your hours means you make less than $217.50 per week.
• Voluntarily participating in More Than a Job NC Program (if available in your area) and taking a suitable job if offered.

You Might Be Exempt from the General Work Registration Rules if you:

• Are already working least 30 or more hours per week or earning more than $217.50 per week (before taxes).
• Are younger than 16 or older than 59
• Are 16 or 17 years old and are not the head of your FNS household.
• Receive WorkFirst
• Have a disability that precludes you from engaging in work activity.
• Are studying in a school, college, or a training program at least half-time.  
• Applied for or get unemployment benefits.  
• Care for a child under age 6 or an individual (adult or child) that is incapacitated.
• Are participating regularly in an alcohol or drug treatment program.
• If any of these situations apply to you, talk to your DSS caseworker to let them know. You can tell them during your application or recertification interview.  

If you do not meet the General Work Registration Rules, you may not be able to continue receiving benefits.

If you do not follow these rules, you may get disqualified for failure to comply with work requirements. However, we will determine if you had a good reason for not following the rules before we disqualify you. If you did not have a good reason, you won’t get FNS for:

• 1 month for the first time,
• 3 months for the second time, and
• 6 months for the third time. 

Most adults receiving FNS (also called SNAP or food stamps) must follow general work rules. However, a specific group of recipients – referred to as able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) – have a time limit on their benefits if they aren’t meeting work requirements.

You are considered an ABAWD participant and subject to the time limit if all of the following are true:

• You are between the ages of 18 and 64.  
• You do not have a child under age 14 in your FNS household.
• You are physically and mentally able to work.

If these rules apply to you, you can only receive FNS benefits for 3 months in a 3-year period unless you are working or qualify for an exemption. After using 3 countable months without meeting the work requirement, your FNS benefits will stop until you comply with the rules or become exempt. 

If you meet any of the criteria below, you are exempt from the ABAWD rules. This means the 3-month time limit does not apply to you, and you do not have to meet the ABAWD 80-hour work requirement to keep your benefits.  

If any of these apply to you, tell your caseworker when you apply or at your next recertification. You may need to provide a statement or document as proof. (You should report an exemption, if applicable, each time you apply or recertify for FNS to ensure your status is up to date.)

1. Under age 18, or age 65 or older.  You are exempt from ABAWD work rules if you are under age 18 or age 65 or older.
2. Unable to Work Due to Physical or Mental Impairments.
   • Receiving Temporary or Permanent Disability Benefits.  You are exempt from ABAWD work rules if you are receiving temporary or permanent disability benefits, such as SSI, SSDI, and VA benefits. For veterans, you are exempt if you are a veteran receiving any VA disability compensation. This applies regardless of your disability rating percentage.
   • Certified by Medical Personnel to be Unable to Work.  If you are not receiving disability benefits, but you are unable to work at least 20 hours per week because of your condition, you can have your medical provider complete a Medical Report to certify that your medical condition limits your ability to complete the work requirements.
   • Obviously Mentally or Physically Unfit for Employment.  An eligibility worker at DSS can also find that you are obviously unfit for employment in limited circumstances. If you have medical conditions or impairments, including substance use disorders, that would prevent you from meeting the ABAWD work requirements, it is important that you explain this to your eligibility worker when you apply or get recertified for benefits. The eligibility worker is required to screen for exemptions at every recertification.  
3. Unable to Work Due to Chronic Homelessness. If you experience chronic homelessness, you can be found exempt from the ABAWD work rules.  
   • Chronic homelessness is defined as:  An individual who lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence, including locations such as homeless or domestic violence shelters; outdoor or makeshift locations; vehicles; RV-type structures without active utilities or sewer or septic hookups; or other places not designed for, or ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodations for human beings. This includes environments without access to toilets or where basic hygiene or stable sleep cannot be maintained. When the individual’s housing situation creates significant health and medical-vocational barriers that prevent working 20 hours per week, this exemption applies.
4. Unable to Work Due to Domestic Violence.  If you are a survivor of recent acts of domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, or stalking that has impacted your physical or mental health and currently interferes with your ability to maintain work, you can be found exempt from the ABAWD work rules.  
5. Unable to Work Due to Caregiving:
   • Caregivers: You are exempt from the ABAWD work rules if you are responsible for the care of a child under age 6 or a person who is incapacitated (at any age), even if they do not live with you. For purposes of this exemption, an incapacitated person is an individual who, due to a physical, cognitive, developmental, or behavioral condition, cannot independently perform basic activities of daily living or requires ongoing supervision or support to maintain personal safety or functioning.  
   • Please note, if you are providing care at no cost to a person who is not under age 6 or incapacitated, your care can be treated as unpaid work rather than an exemption if the person is not someone you are legally responsible to care for.  In addition, if you are a parent operating a home school, you are exempt from the ABAWD work rules if the academic instruction is conducted at least 30 hours per week, as such activities are considered work under the general work requirement rules.
   • Household with Children: You are exempt from ABAWD work rules if you live in a household with a child under age 14.  Note: Prior to December 1, 2025, this threshold was under age 18.)
6. Pregnancy: You are exempt from the ABAWD work rules if you are pregnant in any trimester.
7. Exemption for Indians, Urban Indians, and California Indians:
   • H.R. 1 adds new exemptions from the ABAWD work rules for American Indians who meet the definition of "Indian," "Urban Indian," or "California Indian" under the Indian Health Care Improvement 

If you do not qualify for an exemption, you can keep your benefits for longer than 3 months by doing one of the following activities, or combination of activities, for 80 hours per month (approximately 20 hours per week):  

• Work: This can be paid work, unpaid work, or work in exchange for good or services, including work in exchange for a place to live. Any combination of jobs counts as long as total hours per month is 80 or more.  
• Volunteer: Perform volunteer work or community service at a nonprofit, church or religious organization, charity, community organization.  
• “More Than a Job NC” Program: Participate in North Carolina’s free SNAP Employment & Training program (called “More Than A Job NC”). Activities like job training, education (such as GED classes or vocational training), or supervised job search through this program count toward your 80 hours. This program can help you gain skills and find employment, and all hours in it count as qualifying work hours.
• Combine Activities: You can mix and match work, volunteering, and approved training to reach 80 hours. For instance, you might work 40 hours and volunteer 40 hours in a month to meet the requirement. Any combination of qualifying activities is acceptable.    

Remember: If you are doing any of the above, report it to your caseworker so they have record of your participation. Your worker will require verification of the number of hours worked and your income. If your work or volunteer hours drop below 80 hour in a month, let your caseworker know within 10 days of the end of that month to discuss your situation (see “Good Cause” in the FAQs below). 

Under the new 2025 federal rules, the ABAWD work requirement age applies up to age 64. However, many older adults qualify for exemptions. If you have age-related health issues, chronic conditions, or physical limitations that prevent you from working 20 hours a week, tell your caseworker. You may be exempt as “unfit for employment” due to these barriers. You will be screened for exemptions at your next certification and will not receive months countable to the time-limit until you are screened. 

Federal law did eliminate homelessness as an automatic exemption category. However, North Carolina policy recognizes that chronic homelessness creates a severe barrier to employment due to the mental and physical impact it has on individuals. If you are experiencing chronic homelessness (living in a shelter, car, on the street), NCDHHS considers this a valid reason for exemption under “unfitness for employment.” Please inform your caseworker of your living situation so they can mark your case accordingly. 

“Unfit” simply means you have a mental or physical impairment that stops you from working 20 hours per week. If your condition is obvious to the caseworker, or if you are experiencing chronic homelessness or domestic violence, a doctor’s note is generally not required. The caseworker can approve the exemption based on your statement and circumstances. If your condition is not obvious, you may need a statement from a medical professional. This can be a doctor, nurse, social worker, counselor, or other qualified professional, depending on the situation. In some cases, you might be asked to have a simple form completed to verify your condition. (The purpose is to document that you cannot reasonably work 20 hours a week – not to prove a specific disability status.) 

No. In North Carolina, if you receive VA disability compensation at any percentage, you are considered exempt from the ABAWD time limit. You do not need to be “100%” disabled under VA’s disability rating. Any VA service-connected disability benefit qualifies for the exemption. Be sure to inform your caseworker that you receive VA disability payments so they can update your status. 

You can use the app’s work history or your weekly/monthly earnings statements to show how many hours you’ve worked. If the app doesn’t clearly track hours, you should keep a log of your active work hours and can provide a signed personal statement attesting to your monthly hours. As long as you average 80 hours per month, you meet the requirement – just be prepared to document those hours for your caseworker. 

If you usually meet the 80-hour requirement but fall short in a particular month due to reasons beyond your control, this may be considered “Good Cause.” Good cause includes things like illness, a family emergency, lack of transportation, or other unexpected events that prevented you from working or participating in activities. Notify your caseworker right away if this happens and explain the situation. If the county determines you had good cause for that month, it won’t count as one of your 3 time-limited months. It’s important to report these situations immediately.