Department of Agriculture, the federal agency that administers SNAP, found that the time limit “does not substantially increase work or earnings.” With few resources, taking away unemployed adults’ food assistance will likely not help them find a job but could put them at a very real risk of food insecurity and negative health outcomes. Unsurprisingly, the assumption that the SNAP time limit increases employment is not supported by the research. SNAP is one of the only supports available to this group when they experience hardship. Additionally, many unemployed adults not living with children may have significant barriers to stable employment like a mental or physical limitation (which should exempt them from the time limit, but the state agency may be unaware of the issue), transportation challenges and housing instability. These jobs create a lot of employee turnover and are less likely to meet the requirements for unemployment compensation. SNAP’s Three-Month Time Limit is Cruel Given the Realities of Many Adults Working for Low WagesĪdults subject to the time limits are demographically diverse, and many work when they can, but often in low-paying, unstable jobs. Currently, the federal government has suspended the time limit for every state given the economic fallout from the pandemic, but that will end June 30, 2022. Recent research adds to the growing body of evidence that the SNAP time limit does not have a positive effect on work. Senate Bill 557 would eliminate Georgia’s ability to waive the time limit no matter the economic conditions, risking an increase in food insecurity and hunger for many Georgians who live in areas where jobs are scarce. To prevent the worst harm, the state can request a waiver, a temporary exemption, from this rule for either the whole state or certain geographic regions that struggle with persistently high unemployment or have experienced a severe economic downturn.
The SNAP three-month time limit cuts off working age adults not living with children who are neither employed nor in a work training program. However, there is a rule within the SNAP program that punishes some individuals when they cannot find work. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp program) does just that. Georgians recognize that when an individual cannot find a job or when the state experiences economic hardship, supports to help people afford food are critical. GBPI’s Commitment to Equity and Inclusion.
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