On CalFresh? What to know about new June 1 work requirements

California will begin enforcing expanded federal CalFresh work requirements starting June 1. Some recipients must work 20 hours per week, or an average of 80 hours per month, or face a stark reduction in food benefits. About 5.5 million people use CalFresh statewide, including more than 100,000 in Alameda County. Since 2020, California had exempted residents from a federal SNAP time limit, but H.R. 1 limits that waiver to seven counties, none in the Bay Area. The requirements also expand nationally to more people, including those up to age 64 and parents with children 14 and older. California has already tightened eligibility, including barring some humanitarian immigrants from signing up in April.

"For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, California will begin enforcing new and expanded federal guidelines that require some CalFresh recipients to work 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month with a stark reduction in food benefits for those who don't fulfill the requirements. Approximately 5.5 million people use CalFresh in California, including more than 100,000 in Alameda County."

"And since 2020, California, like several other states, has exempted its residents from the federal government's longstanding (and contentious) time limit policy, which mandates that any Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who don't meet federal work requirements can only receive three months of food benefits in three years. But now, due to H.R. 1 the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill authored by President Donald Trump's administration California's ability to waive work requirements for the entire state has been limited to only seven counties, none of them in the Bay Area."

"The work requirements also now apply nationally to a wider range of people, including people up to 64 years old and parents with children 14 and older. The changes that go into effect on June 1 make several unprecedented changes to this policy, which was already incredibly cruel, and decades of research have shown that it's ineffectual, said Andrew Cheyne, managing director at the County Welfare Directors Association."

"The state has already started rolling out directives from the Trump administration that have impacted eligibility for CalFresh. For example, in April, California began to enforce a requirement that barred some humanitarian immigrants from signing up for food benefits. Advocates like Cheyne have expressed alarm about the barriers to food access that are being increased by these directives additional burdens for recipients who are experiencing poverty"

Read at www.berkeleyside.org