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State of Wisconsin |
HISTORY |
The policy on this page is from a previous version of the handbook.
FoodShare members are assigned an Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDs) status. This status is determined by the Income Maintenance (IM) agency and is provided to FSET agencies as part of a referral or referral update. FSET workers should be aware of notifications from the IM agency regarding changes in ABAWD status as these changes impact FSET participation requirements. The three participation statuses include ABAWD, Non-ABAWD, and FoodShare Ineligible.
A FoodShare member is a non-ABAWD if he or she meets any one of the following criteria, as determined by the IM agency:
Under age 18* or age 50** and older
Residing in a FoodShare household with a child under age 18***
Pregnant
Determined unfit for employment, which includes someone who is:
Receiving temporary or permanent disability benefits from the government or a private source
Unable to work due to physical or mental challenges, as determined by the IM agency
Verified as unable to work by a statement from a health care professional or a social worker (may use Form-01598 Medical Exemption from Work Requirement for ABAWDs to verify)
Experiencing chronic homelessness
An individual is chronically homeless if he or she currently lacks a fixed regular nighttime residence and does not expect to have a regular nighttime residence in the next 30 days. This includes people who are in a temporary housing situation.
Receiving Unemployment Compensation (UC) or has applied for UC and is complying with UC work requirements
Regularly participating in an alcohol or other drug abuse (AODA) treatment or rehabilitation program
A student of higher education and is otherwise eligible for FoodShare, see the FoodShare Handbook 3.15.1 Student Eligibility
A high school student 18 years of age or older, attending high school at least half-time
Primary caretaker of a dependent child under age 6 or an incapacitated person
Complying with Wisconsin Works (W-2) program requirements
Working 30 or more hours per week or earning wages equivalent to 30 or more hours per week at the federal minimum wage
*Age 18: ABAWD status applies the month following the month the FoodShare applicant or member turns age 18.
**Age 50: ABAWD status is lost the first day of the month an ABAWD turns age 50.
***An individual may be determined a non-ABAWD if he or she resides in a FoodShare unit where a household member is under age 18, even if the household member who is under age 18 is ineligible for FoodShare.
Non-ABAWDs who meet the exemption criteria are not subject to TLBs and do not need to meet the ABAWD work requirement during months in which they have a verified exemption. Non-ABAWDs are referred to FSET only upon their request. However, individuals that have a pending exemption may be referred to FSET as ABAWDs. In such cases, once an exemption is verified, the IM agency will send a referral update to notify the FSET agency of the status change. ABAWDs may gain or lose exemptions for a variety of reasons. See FSET Handbook Appendix G – FSET ABAWD Statuses (and FSET Referral Types) for more information.
Although IM workers have primary responsibility for determining ABAWD exemptions, FSET workers may also identify that an individual qualifies for one of the ABAWD exemptions listed above once they begin working with a participant. When an ABAWD exemption is identified, the FSET worker must contact the IM agency to notify them of the exemption and work with the participant to initiate the process of verifying the exemption.
For more information about ABAWD status and exemptions, see FoodShare Handbook 3.17.1 Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDs).
A FoodShare member is an ABAWD if he or she does no meet any of the criteria that make an individual an non-ABAWD as determined by the IM agency. ABAWDs are subject to TLBs and need to meet the ABAWD work requirement to remain eligible for FoodShare. One of the ways these individuals can meet the work requirement is through FSET participation.
All ABAWDs with a TLB referral type receive a referral to FSET. ABAWDs with a TLB referral type are not required to participate in FSET as a condition of FoodShare eligibility. However, they may lose eligibility for FoodShare due to failing to meet the ABAWD work requirement after exhausting three months of TLBs in a 36-month period. The 36-month period begins when an ABAWD receives their first TLB. Once three TLBs are received, FoodShare eligibility is lost for the remainder of the 36-month period unless an ABAWD becomes a non-ABAWD or begins meeting the work requirement.
For more information about ABAWD status and exemptions, see FoodShare Handbook 3.17.1 Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDs).
Note: An individual may request a fair hearing if he or she disagrees with the IM agency’s determination of ABAWD status. For more information see FoodShare Handbook 6.4.1 Fair Hearings.
This page last updated in Release Number: 18-01
Release Date: 12/14/2018
Effective Date: 12/14/2018
Notice: The content within this manual is the sole responsibility of the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (DHS). This site will link to sites outside of DHS where appropriate. DHS is in no way responsible for the content of sites outside of DHS.
Publication Number: P-00419