The federal government has required work or job training to qualify for benefits since 1996. After the recession, many states were granted waivers that allowed them to ignore the requirements. The state's Department of Human Services Spokeswoman Kait Gillis notes the state agency is working hard to minimize the negative impact the change might have.
"The federal government has several waivers and exemptions from this requirement for certain types of individuals and areas that have high unemployment and other employment-related issues," Gillis told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The work requirements apply to able-bodied adults without children. As of June, 44 states have either a waiver or a partial waiver. The job must be at least 20 hours a week and the training must be federally approved. Some states like Louisiana have already let their waivers expire. Other states have also considered doing the same.
The food stamp program is officially known as The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Run by The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it is the nation's largest food-assistance program.