Story reposted with permission from The Times-Standard.
The updated basic “ABAWD” work requirement is this: whether through employment or volunteering, some people must now complete a minimum of 80 hours per month to continue receiving certain government benefits, notably CalFresh and, as soon as Jan. 1, 2027, Medi-Cal. Beneficiaries can combine paid work hours with volunteer hours to reach the 80-hour requirement. ABAWD rules have been in place since 1996, but they have become more restrictive with new rules and enforcement measures from the “Big Beautiful Bill” H.R. 1.
This column isn’t about whether the policy is worthwhile; it’s about the fact that it’s coming. There are things nonprofit leaders should understand to be ready for its implementation in January. For all employers, there are rules. For agencies engaging people affected by ABAWD for volunteer work, there are additional things to know.
Alisha Babel, who works on CalFresh in her work with the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services, told me the County estimates the new work rules will apply to 2,200 individuals in Humboldt. It turns out that Humboldt County serves as a pilot for these new rules, so we’re somewhat ahead of the issue. Alisha says that they are trying to make this situation “as painless as possible, but also as robust as possible.” The county’s Employment Training Division, Uplift Eureka, or the American Job Center office are available to help. Alisha says reassuringly that there is no wrong door to start with.
Volunteer work for people satisfying ABAWD work rules needs to be at eligible organizations: nonprofits, community/religious organizations or government agencies. (Work for private, for-profit businesses does not qualify unless structured through specific state workfare programs such as Healthy Humboldt and Uplift Eureka.)
By acting as an approved site, organizations potentially gain reliable, consistent help while assisting individuals in maintaining their essential food benefits.
Carly Robbins, executive director of Food for People, shared that preparations for these changes have been underway at their organization.
“We know that these new rules will impact many people in our community and could mean more food-insecure households if they are not able to meet these requirements and lose their CalFresh benefits,” Robbins said. “As a team, we have been working to identify volunteer opportunities that could be well suited for people subject to them. However, 20 hours a week is a significant amount of volunteer time, and the administrative requirements associated with supporting that level of participation are substantial — from planning and assigning appropriate work, to supervision, to the ongoing tracking, verification and completion of monthly attendance paperwork for state entities. We want to be thoughtful about how we structure these opportunities so that we can set folks up for success. We don’t want seniors or families going hungry because they can’t find the volunteer hours.”
Organizations hosting Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents for volunteer work must facilitate 80 hours per month of unpaid community service. The organization has to track and record the exact number of volunteer hours the individual completes each month. Organizations provide written documentation of the hours to the CalFresh recipient and/or directly to DHHS, typically by filling out state-approved timesheets or providing a signed letter on organizational letterhead. Timesheets or verification forms must be signed by an official representative of the organization. The county plans to review work hours at a person’s initial application for benefits, and then again at renewal periods, meaning it’s not a monthly exercise.
Requirements for employers, regardless of whether they are for-profit or not-for-profit, are similar. They must provide verifiable documentation so participants can keep their benefits, signed timesheets typically, confirming the employee is averaging 20 hours per week.
The law requires participants to report when their hours drop below 80 hours per month. Organizations working directly with these individuals should promptly alert them or their local case manager if their hours fall below this threshold or if they stop attending the program. Alisha from DHHS went on to say that organizations can reach out to eligibility staff for help if things change or if someone slips in their ability to work or volunteer at the DHHS call center (877-410-8809).
People may not need to meet these requirements if they fall into an exemption category, which you can review here: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh/abawd.
Based on speaking with local nonprofit leaders on this subject, the consensus boils down to this: They don’t love the policy, but they will likely see additional people who are motivated to volunteer or work for their agencies.
Time to make like scouts and be prepared.
Michael Kraft writes the Good Work series, volunteering on behalf of the Northern California Association of Nonprofits (NorCAN). NorCAN, a DreamMaker project of the Ink People, supports connections between people and organizations that work every day to keep our communities strong by offering professional development, board support, networking connections and more. Learn more at https://norcal-nonprofits.org/. To nominate a deserving nonprofit organization to be profiled, email michael@kraftconsultants.com.