Screening
At the time of the interview, eligibility workers must evaluate information concerning each individual in the household to determine if any of the following apply.
Expedited Service
Prior to the interview, you must have procedures in place to identify households eligible for expedited service at the time the household submits its application, so that an interview is scheduled in time to meet expedited processing timeframes if necessary. While other state employees may do this initial screening, the interviewer should also screen households for entitlement to expedited service. If the interviewer discovers the household is entitled to expedited process, the application should be processed as quickly as possible even if the 7-day standard cannot be met. 7 CFR 273.2(i)(2)
General Work Requirements
Individuals ages 16 through 59 must comply with general work requirements as a condition of eligibility unless they meet one of the exemptions from this requirement. States must screen each individual for all exemptions to identify if they are subject to the general work requirements. This determination should be based on discussion and exploration with the individual or their representative. The eligibility worker must make this determination at initial application, recertification, and when certain changes in household circumstances are reported.
The interview is the most important tool for identifying whether an individual meets an exemption. When the interview is conducted over the phone rather than in person, identifying physical or mental fitness can be more challenging; therefore, eligibility workers should have necessary resources and must follow appropriate processes to ensure applicants and recipients are properly screened. Such resources can include a complete list of each exemption with explanations and examples, or scripted questions related to different exemptions. 7 CFR 273.7(b)
Exemptions from general work requirements consider factors that may not be clear in the application, such as the following:
- Physical or mental unfitness for employment.
- Already working 30 hours a week or earning at least 30 times the minimum wage per week.
- Responsibility for a child under 6 or an incapacitated person.
- Compliance with the work requirements of another program.
- Enrollment in higher education or a training program.
Referral to Employment and Training (E&T)
The state is responsible for screening each work registrant to determine whether or not, based on state criteria, to refer the individual to a SNAP E&T program. If appropriate, the eligibility worker would then refer the individual to the SNAP E&T program (also referred to as “SNAP E&T activity”). 7 CFR 273.7(c)(2)
Screening for appropriateness for SNAP E&T is a separate process from screening for and identifying exemptions from the general SNAP work requirements and from the able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) rules. The eligibility worker must thoroughly explore whether the individual meets the state’s criteria for participation in SNAP E&T. Applicants are not responsible for self-identifying whether they should be referred to a SNAP E&T program. Screening for referral to SNAP E&T is a certification function and can be performed only by state SNAP agency merit system personnel.
ABAWD Work Requirement
Accurate screening of ABAWDs is fundamental to the state’s implementation of the time limit to ensure that those who can work, do. A subset of individuals subject to the general work requirement are also required to meet the ABAWD work requirement to receive SNAP benefits beyond the 3-month time limit. Individuals aged 18 through 54 must comply with ABAWD work requirement as a condition of eligibility unless they meet one of the exceptions from this requirement.* States must screen each individual for all exceptions from the time limit to determine if they are subject to the ABAWD work requirement.
*Unless otherwise changed by law, the exceptions end on Oct. 1, 2030, and the age limit reverts from “55 years of age or older” to “50 years of age or older”. 7 CFR 273.24(c)and (k)
Exceptions from ABAWD requirements consider factors that may not be clear in the application, such as:
- Pregnancy
- Physical and mental unfitness for employment
- Sharing a household with someone under 18
- Exemptions from general work requirements
- Homelessness*
- Aging out of foster care*
- Veterans' status*
Students
States are responsible for identifying if a household member is a student who may be ineligible to participate in SNAP. Students are ineligible for SNAP if they are enrolled at least half time in an institution of higher education unless an exemption applies. See SNAP Institutions of Higher Education and Student Eligibility Rules. 7 CFR 273.5
Felons
States must require that individuals applying for SNAP benefits attest to whether the individual or any other member of the household has been convicted of certain felonies as an adult and whether the convicted member is complying with the terms of the sentence. Attestations may be made during the interview and may be in writing, verbal, or both, provided that the attestation is legally binding in the law of the state. However, no individual may be required to come to the SNAP office solely for an attestation. 7 CFR 273.2(o)(1), 7 CFR 273.11(s)
Non-Citizens, Including Sponsored Non-Citizens
Non-citizens must meet SNAP’s non-citizen eligibility criteria in addition to all other SNAP financial and non-financial eligibility requirements. States are responsible for identifying if a non-citizen is eligible for SNAP based on their immigration status and other factors if applicable, such as number of years in that status. This includes identifying whether a non-citizen applying for SNAP benefits has a sponsor and is subject to sponsor deeming. Under program rules, non-citizens whose sponsor signed an affidavit of support are subject to sponsor deeming unless they are exempt. Deeming is a process in which the income and resources of the sponsor are included in the non-citizen’s eligibility determination for SNAP benefits. Deeming applies only to eligible Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) whose sponsor has signed a legally binding affidavit of support (known as 213A affidavits, mostly I-864 forms) on or after Dec. 19, 1997.
States are required to determine if a non-citizen is subject to sponsor deeming and collect sponsor information during the certification process, making the interview an important time to ensure the state has all necessary information. Eligibility workers should determine if a non-citizen is an LPR with a sponsor who has signed an affidavit of support and whether the non-citizen meets an exemption from sponsor deeming. Workers can check whether someone has a sponsor through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE). During the interview, eligibility workers should ensure the non-citizen has provided information about the sponsor’s income and resources and must assist the household in obtaining necessary verification. We also encourage you to inform sponsored non-citizens during the interview about sponsor liability for the value of SNAP benefits received by the sponsored non-citizen. See SNAP Eligibility for Non-Citizens and SNAP Guidance on Non-Citizen Eligibility - detailed information on sponsor deeming and sponsor liability starts on page 30. 7 CFR 273.4(c), 8 CFR 213a.4(a)
Non-citizens who are exempt from sponsor deeming:
- Children
- Battered spouses or children
- Non-citizens without sponsors
- Non-citizens whose sponsor has not signed a legally binding affidavit of support (including those who are sponsored by an organization or group as opposed to an individual)
- Non-citizens who are a member of their sponsor's SNAP household
- Indigent non-citizens
- Sponsored non-citizens ineligible for SNAP
Situations when sponsor deeming ends include:
- Sponsored non-citizen becomes a naturalized citizen
- Sponsored non-citizen can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work
- Sponsor dies