(Revised 10/01/11 ML3286)
The Department of Human Services (DHS) may request the Secretary of Agriculture waive the ABAWD work requirement for any group of individuals that reside in an area in which the unemployment rate is over ten percent or does not have a sufficient number of jobs to provide employment for the individuals.
Federal regulations also provide states with a calculated number of exemptions on a yearly basis. These exemptions are considered the state's 15% exemptions.
The able-bodied provisions do not apply to an individual living in waived or 15% exemption criteria counties and benefits received do not count toward the three ABAWD months.
TECS will default the code on ABRE for all individuals to 'EX' for an county where a waiver of the ABAWD provisions is currently in place. An informational edit will appear on the ABRE screen 'COUNTY EXEMPT FROM ABAWD REQUIREMENTS' and it will not allow entry of coding on the screen for any case in the exempt county. Individuals exempt under the 15% exemption criteria must be coded SP on the ABRE screen.
