If you receive SNAP in New York City and you are between the ages of 18 and 64, the most important week of the year for your food budget is happening right now. Starting June 1, 2026, the federal SNAP work requirements that took effect on March 1 begin actually shutting off benefits for people who have not reported their work, training, or volunteer hours for the past three months. This is not a warning anymore — it is the cliff. And tens of thousands of New Yorkers have not realized it applies to them.
The good news: most people who think they will lose benefits will not, because the exemption list is broader than the headlines suggest. The bad news: if you actually do fall under the new “Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents” (ABAWD) rules and you have not turned in proof of work or filed for an exemption, you have a very narrow window to fix it before the June 2026 case actions begin. Here is exactly what to do.
What changed and when
Under federal rules that took effect March 1, 2026, the city’s Human Resources Administration (HRA) began identifying SNAP recipients who fall under the new expanded ABAWD definition. According to the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, work requirements apply if all three of the following are true: you are between 18 and 64, you do not live with a child under 14, and you do not have a medical exemption from working. If those three apply, you must complete 80 hours per month of approved activity to keep your benefits.
You can have up to three months of non-compliance within a 36-month period. After three missed months — March, April, and May for the cohort affected this round — benefits stop in June 2026 until you either start reporting hours again or qualify for an exemption.
The expansion is significant. Per the official ACCESS NYC FAQ, starting in March 2026 the ABAWD rules now also apply to able-bodied adults ages 55 to 64, caretakers for kids 14 and older, veterans, former foster care youth ages 23 and under, and people experiencing homelessness. If you are in any of those groups and you receive SNAP, do not assume you are exempt just because you used to be.
Who is exempt — read this carefully before you panic
You do not have to meet the new work requirements if any of the following applies to you, per the city’s official guidance:
- You have a physical or mental health condition — temporary or permanent — that prevents you from working 20 hours per week. You do not need an SSI award or a specific diagnosis. A doctor, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, psychologist, social worker, substance use counselor, mental health counselor, osteopath, or certified midwife can sign the exemption form.
- You are pregnant.
- You live with a child under 14.
- You are already working 30+ hours per week.
- You are in school or job training at least half-time.
- You are in substance use treatment.
- You are caring for a child under 6 or an incapacitated person.
- You receive SSI, SSDI, VA disability, or New York State disability benefits.
- You are 65 or older, or under 18.
This list comes directly from the NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit’s official SNAP guidance page. If any one of those applies, you should not lose benefits — but you may still need to document the exemption with HRA if you have not already.
The four ways to meet the 80-hour requirement
If the rules do apply to you and you do not have an exemption, there are four ways to hit the 80-hour monthly threshold, all of which count equally:
1. Paid work. Work 20 hours per week, OR earn at least $217.50 per week. Contract work, gig work, and remote work all count.
2. Job training or education. Enroll in an approved program for 20 hours per week. Workforce1 career centers and NYC Small Business Services training count. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs also qualify.
3. Volunteer / community service. Volunteer with an HRA-approved organization. Your required hours are calculated by dividing your monthly SNAP benefit by New York’s minimum wage ($16.50 statewide, $17.00 in NYC). For example, $300 in monthly SNAP divided by $17.00 = roughly 18 hours per month.
4. A combination. You can mix and match — part-time work plus volunteer hours, or training plus a small paid job — as long as you hit 80 hours.
How to actually report your hours this week
The fastest path is ACCESS HRA online. Sign in, choose “Case Change Report” or “SNAP Case Change,” and enter your work, training, or volunteer hours along with proof. Acceptable proof includes pay stubs, employer letters stating your hours and pay, receipts or statements from volunteer work, and letters from training or job programs.
You can also upload documents through the ACCESS HRA mobile app or use the New York State NYDocSubmit app to photograph and submit pay stubs. If you prefer in-person help, walk into any SNAP Walk-in Customer Service center.
If your work hours dropped below the threshold, report the change within 10 days. If you have a recertification or periodic report coming up, include your work updates then.
How to file for an exemption if you cannot work
If a medical condition, pregnancy, or caregiving situation should exempt you, your healthcare provider needs to complete the ABAWD Medical Statement form (FIA-1021w). The form asks whether you are pregnant, in substance use treatment, or have a condition that limits your ability to work 20+ hours per week, and for how long.
Submit the completed form through ACCESS HRA, the ACCESS HRA app, or by fax to 917-639-2544, or mail to: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, P.O. Box 29008, Brooklyn, NY 11202. Write your name and case number on every page.
If you have a medical or mental health condition or a learning challenge that makes the ACCESS HRA app hard to use, call (718) 557-1399 and ask about HRA accommodations.
What happens if you do nothing
If HRA’s records show three months of non-compliance and no exemption on file, your SNAP case will be closed for the ABAWD member of the household — not necessarily the whole household. Children, seniors over 65, and people with disabilities in the same household continue to receive their share of benefits. You can become eligible again by either reporting that you are now meeting the 80-hour requirement, by filing an exemption, or by waiting out the rest of the 36-month clock (which, per the city’s FAQ, resets in October 2026 for people whose first three-month strike was in early 2026).
Action Steps
- Log in to ACCESS HRA today. Click “E-notices” from the menu to see whether you have received an ABAWD Work Activity Letter or a PACE appointment notice. If you have, do not miss the appointment.
- Update your contact info. Inside ACCESS HRA, click your name in the top right, choose “Profile,” and confirm your phone, email, and mailing address are current. Sign up for text and email alerts. Most people who lose benefits never received the notice because their contact info was outdated.
- If you are already working, report it now. Use the SNAP Case Change feature in ACCESS HRA and upload pay stubs. Do not wait for recertification.
- If you cannot work, get the medical exemption form filled out this week. A primary care provider, nurse practitioner, social worker, or therapist can sign it. Submit the same day if possible.
- If you are not working and have no exemption, call 718-SNAP-NOW (718-762-7669) Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM or Saturday 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM to get assigned to a Workforce1 program or HRA-approved volunteer opportunity that counts toward the 80 hours.
- Find a partner organization in your community at nyc.gov/site/hra/partners for free, in-language help applying for exemptions, reporting hours, or getting connected to approved volunteer hours.
FAQ
When exactly will I lose benefits if I do not comply?
If your three months of non-compliance are March, April, and May 2026, your benefits could stop in June 2026. The case action does not happen on June 1 for everyone — HRA processes cases on a rolling basis — but the cliff begins that month.
I am working 35 hours a week but never told HRA. Am I in trouble?
No — but you need to report it now. Use the SNAP Case Change feature in ACCESS HRA and upload a recent pay stub. Once HRA has the documentation, you are compliant.
Do remote work and gig work count?
Yes. Both count if you earn at least $217.50 per week or work 20+ hours per week (80 hours monthly), per the official ACCESS NYC FAQ.
What if I have a disability but never applied for SSI or SSDI?
You do not need an SSI award or a formal disability diagnosis to qualify for the ABAWD medical exemption. Any temporary or permanent physical or mental health condition that prevents you from working 20+ hours per week qualifies, as long as a recognized healthcare provider signs the ABAWD Medical Statement form.
I am a veteran. Am I exempt?
Only if you receive VA disability benefits. Otherwise, starting in March 2026, veterans were added to the ABAWD requirements and must meet the 80-hour standard like everyone else.
Are these rules permanent?
Per ACCESS NYC’s official FAQ: yes. They are federal law and will remain in place unless Congress changes them. They do not expire with a change in presidential administration.
Sources: NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit — “Oh SNAP! New Work Requirements”; ACCESS NYC — Frequently Asked Questions: SNAP work requirements; NYC HRA — Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents; NY State OTDA — SNAP Work Requirements.
