What are Florida's SNAP ABAWD work requirements for adults ages 18 to 49 in 2024?
Executive summary
Florida follows the federal ABAWD rule that requires able-bodied adults without dependents to work or participate in qualifying activities at least 80 hours per month (about 20 hours/week) to avoid the 3‑month-in-36‑month SNAP time limit; federal guidance and Florida materials say the ABAWD age range was expanded in phases so that adults up through age 54 became subject to the rule on October 1, 2024 (state DCF notes expansion to age 54) [1] [2] [3]. Florida also passed state law in 2024 that formalized expanded and stricter state-level participation rules and codified use of SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) to meet those requirements [4] [2].
1. What the ABAWD work requirement actually is — the federal baseline
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) explains the core ABAWD requirement: an ABAWD must work at least 80 hours per month (or participate in a qualifying work program for that amount) to be eligible for SNAP for more than three months in a 36‑month period; failure to meet that requirement triggers the time limit and potential disqualification until requirements are met or an exemption applies [1] [5] [6].
2. Who counts as an ABAWD in Florida in 2024
Federal law historically treated ages 18–49 as ABAWDs; the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023 raised the upper age in stages. Florida’s official DCF guidance states the ABAWD age range was expanded from up through 49 to up through 52 on October 1, 2023 and again to up through 54 on October 1, 2024 — meaning adults ages 18–54 were subject to ABAWD rules after October 1, 2024 [2] [3]. The SNAP policy guide and other FNS materials document the FRA’s staged increases in the age cutoff [6].
3. Florida’s added state-level requirements and E&T enforcement
Florida went beyond the federal baseline in 2024: House Bill 1267 (signed June 13, 2024) expanded state work requirements and formally codified aspects of using SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) as mandatory participation for those subject to the rule; Florida DCF guidance points to required participation in the E&T program for ABAWDs and other mandatory work participants [4] [2]. State materials also note that individuals 55–59 who do not meet exemptions are required to participate in SNAP E&T under Florida policy [2].
4. How hours are counted and alternative ways to comply
FNS guidance clarifies that “work” can include paid work, unpaid work for goods/services, volunteer work, or participation in a qualifying work program; meeting 80 hours a month through SNAP E&T or local workforce programs is an accepted path to compliance [1] [5] [7]. Ballotpedia and other explainers translate 80/month into roughly 20 hours/week, though some Florida sources and reporting sometimes frame the state general work expectation as 30 hours/week for other general SNAP rules — be cautious: ABAWD-specific requirement is 80 hours/month per federal guidance [8] [1].
5. Time limits, waivers, and exemptions — who is protected
Federal rules impose a 3‑month limit within a 36‑month period for ABAWDs who do not meet the 80‑hour-month requirement; states can request geographic waivers (high unemployment) or use limited discretionary exemptions, and the FRA reduced discretionary exemption allocations for states [6] [9]. Florida’s current 36‑month tracking period referenced in state materials runs January 1, 2022–December 31, 2024, and participants with “good cause” or qualifying exemptions (e.g., disability, caregiving, certain students, or other listed exceptions) should be excused per DCF rules [10] [2].
6. How implementation affected people and public debate
Reporting and advocacy groups noted the expansion would subject many more Floridians — including older adults and people experiencing homelessness — to work requirements; local reporting estimated large numbers would lose waivers and face mandatory participation, and critics warned of harm to vulnerable groups while supporters argued it promotes workforce participation [11] [3] [4]. Florida Policy Institute and other local organizations urged caution and directed people to DCF guidance for case‑specific questions [3] [10].
7. Practical takeaways for Floridians aged 18–49 in 2024
If you were age 18–49 in 2024 and classified as an ABAWD with no dependents and able to work, federal ABAWD rules required meeting 80 hours/month (about 20 hours/week) or participating in qualifying E&T/work programs to avoid the 3‑month time limit; Florida’s 2024 law and DCF implementation emphasized mandatory E&T participation for people subject to these rules and expanded the age range beyond 49 during 2023–24 [1] [2] [4]. For individual cases, Florida DCF and local CareerSource centers are the administrative contacts; advocates recommend responding to all notices and seeking help if you believe you qualify for an exemption [2] [10].
Limitations: Available sources here summarize federal FNS rules and Florida DCF/Ballotpedia/advocacy reports through 2024–early 2025; they do not provide individualized legal advice or each administrative form and notice language — for case‑specific determinations see Florida DCF notices or FNS materials cited above [2] [1] [9].