Ballotpedia's resource for understanding work requirements across four public assistance programs. We provide clear, factual, neutral coverage of arguments related to work requirements, reform proposals, current policy, related ballot measures, and more.
Work requirements for public assistance refer to conditions that require recipients to work or complete other specified activities to qualify for assistance. These activities may include job searching, engaging in job training, volunteering, or pursuing education.
Ballotpedia covers work requirements for Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), child care subsidies (CCDF), and public housing. We cover work requirement laws at the federal and state levels, arguments for and against work requirements, policy reform proposals, ballot measures, and news.
An overview of work requirements polices in the 2025 budget reconciliation bill.
A series of 50 articles that cover the work requirements of all four programs in each state. The articles also provide background and federal requirements for each program.
A collection of work requirements news stories that Ballotpedia has covered.
Information about all four welfare programs that Ballotpedia covers, as well as links to related articles, can be found in the cards below:
- No federal work requirement until 2027Medicaid work requirements are eligibility conditions that require recipients to complete certain work-related activities—such as working, pursuing education, participating in a work program, or volunteering—in order to qualify for or maintain benefits. The 2025 budget reconciliation bill that was signed into law on July 4 requires states to adopt community engagement requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents on Medicaid by January 1, 2027.
- 30 hours (general)/20 hours (ABAWD)SNAP work requirements are mandated work-related activities that SNAP recipients must complete in order to qualify for benefits. SNAP—formerly known as food stamps—has two types of work requirements: general work requirements and able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) work requirements. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) promulgates rules and develops federal SNAP program guidelines. State-level agencies administer their SNAP programs following federal requirements.
- Child Care Subsidy (CCDF)Work requirement undefinedChild care subsidy work requirements are mandated work-related activities that child care subsidy recipients must complete to qualify for benefits. The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the primary source of federal child care subsidies in the United States. States design child care assistance programs within federal guidelines and award CCDF funds for child care to low-income families so they can seek employment or job training.
- Eight hours of community servicePublic housing work requirements are mandated work-related activities that public housing recipients must complete to maintain eligibility for housing assistance administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The federally required work-related activity is eight hours of community service per month for adult residents of public housing who are not elderly, disabled, or already working. Other public housing work requirements are allowed if the public housing authority (PHA) is part of HUD's Moving to Work (MTW) Demonstration Program, which allows PHAs to design strategies to increase public housing efficiency.
Below are Ballotpedia's argument taxonomies that present a selection of curated arguments about the legality, efficacy, and effects of work requirements for public assistance programs:
This page features the main categories of arguments related to work requirements for public assistance programs.
This page features arguments made by proponents of work requirements.
This page features arguments made by opponents of work requirements.
Below is a selection of articles that provide overviews of different areas of activity related to work requirements:
This page features major state and federal court cases related to work requirements for public assistance programs.
This page features a selection of notable state and federal legislation related to work requirements for public assistance programs.
This page features a selection of scholarly work related to work requirements for public assistance programs.
This page features a selection of updates about reform activities in the states related to work requirements for public assistance programs.
Click on a state in the map or in the list of links below to view the state's work requirements for public assistance:
These pages include a selection of reform proposals related to work requirements for public assistance programs. These reform proposals come from state and federal legislative proposals, model legislative proposals, policy white papers, and scholarly articles.
- Medicaid work requirements reform proposals
- SNAP work requirements reform proposals
- Child care subsidy work requirements reform proposals
- Public housing work requirements reform proposals
Featured below are ballot measures related to work requirements that Ballotpedia has tracked:
Medicaid work requirement amendment
Work requirement for welfare benefits advisory question
Medicaid expansion initiative
Medicaid expansion initiative
These articles cover different agencies that are involved in the administration of the four programs Ballotpedia curates work requirements coverage for:
Index of articles about work requirements
External links
Footnotes
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