CalFresh Work and Community Engagement Requirements

Welcome to the CalFresh Work and Community Engagement Requirements webpage. This page provides information about the CalFresh Work and Community Engagement Requirements including the general CalFresh work requirements and the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) rules.

Changes to CalFresh Work Requirements

The federal government’s rules on CalFresh work requirements have changed. As of June 1, 2026, certain people have to meet the CalFresh work and community engagement requirements to get or keep their CalFresh benefits.

These rules apply to you if you:

• Are between the ages of 18 and 64;
• Do not have a disability; and
• Do not live with a CalFresh household member under 14 years old.

Some people may be excused from these rules, see below for more information.

Learn more about the CalFresh Work and Community Requirements

What are the general CalFresh work requirements?

The general CalFresh work requirements apply to people between the ages of 16 and 59 who are able to work. The general CalFresh work requirements are known as work registration in California. If you are subject to work registration rules you must take a suitable job if offered and not voluntarily quit a job or reduce your work hours below 30 hours each week without a good reason if you are working.

You can be excused from work registration if you are:

• Younger than age 16, or age 60 or older.
• Caring for a dependent child under age 6 (they do not have to live with you).
• Caring for a person with a disability (they do not have to live with you).
• Earning at least $217.50 a week before taxes or working at least 30 hours a week.
• Getting or applying for unemployment benefits.
• Disabled.
• Going to school, college, or a training program at least half-time (additional student eligibility rules may apply).
• Meeting the work rules for another program, like CalWORKs.
• In a drug or alcohol abuse treatment program

What is the ABAWD Work Requirement and what does it mean for me?

The ABAWD work requirement is a federal rule. People who are considered ABAWDs can only get 3 full months of CalFresh benefits every 3 years. ABAWDs may get benefits for longer than 3 months if they are working, excused from the work requirement, or are living in a county that is waived from the work requirement.

The ABAWD work requirement applies to you if you:

• Are between the ages of 18 and 64 years old;
• Do not live in a CalFresh household with a CalFresh household member under 14 years old;
• Are considered physically and mentally able to work at least 20 hours per week; and
• Are not excused from the rule.

If the ABAWD work requirement applies to you, you will need to have a job, volunteer, or be enrolled in school or a job training program. If you’re working, you must work an average of 20 hours each week.

If you’re in school or a training program, you must have total class time of 20 hours each week or be enrolled at least half-time.

If you do not meet this requirement, you will only be able to get CalFresh benefits for three months over a three-year period. The county can help connect ABAWDs with local work opportunities in the area to meet the ABAWD work requirement.

Additionally, some CalFresh recipients who were previously excused from these rules will now also have to meet work requirements to continue to get CalFresh benefits unless they can be excused for a different reason.

This new group includes CalFresh recipients who are:

• Aged 55-64 years old;
• Parents whose youngest child is 14 or older;
• Experiencing homelessness;
• Veterans,
• Currently or were in foster care on their 18th birthday.

How can I be excused from the ABAWD work requirement?

You may be excused from the ABAWD work requirement if you are:

• Under age 18 or over age 64
• Living in a CalFresh household with a CalFresh household member under age 14.
• You are excused from the general CalFresh work requirements
• Unable to work at least 20 hours per week or a total of 80 hours or more per month because of a physical or mental health issue.
• Unable to work because you are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, survivor of domestic violence, experiencing chronic homelessness or impacted by the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems. The condition must be tied to a physical or mental health issue.
• Pregnant (any stage of pregnancy).
• Identify as an Indian, Urban Indian or California Indian under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA).
• Participating in an Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) training program for at least half-time.
• Living in an area where the ABAWD work requirement is waived.

Which counties in California are waived from the ABAWD work requirement?

The ABAWD work requirement is waived from November 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026 for the following counties:

• Alpine
• Colusa
• Imperial
• Merced
• Monterey
• Plumas
• Tulare

This means that people who live in these counties do not have to meet the ABAWD work requirement rules and may get CalFresh for longer than three months if they are not working.