Work requirements for public assistance in West Virginia

This page provides information about work requirements for public assistance in West Virginia as of December 2024.
Work requirements for public assistance refer to conditions that require participation in employment-related activities to qualify for the assistance. These activities may include job searching, engaging in job training, volunteering, or working a specified number of hours each week.
Public assistance programs involve the division of responsibilities between the federal government and state governments. The federal government sets eligibility criteria, provides guidelines, and allocates funding for these programs, while states are responsible for administering them and, in some cases, have the authority to tailor the programs to meet local needs.
Ballotpedia has tracked work requirements in West Virginia related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), child care subsidies, Medicaid, and public housing. Click here to see work requirements for public assistance in other states.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Child care subsidies
Medicaid
Public housing
The following table outlines West Virginia's public assistance work requirements by type as of December 2024, including both state and federal requirements, as well as the options available to states for establishing or temporarily suspending work requirements.
West Virginia work requirements for public assistance, by type | |||
---|---|---|---|
Type of public assistance | West Virginia requirements | Federal requirements | State options |
SNAP | No waiver as of 2024 | 20 hours (general)/30 hours (ABAWD) | States can request and implement temporary waivers for the ABAWD work requirements. |
Child care subsidy (CCDF) | 20 hours | Required, but undefined | States have the authority to set work requirements for child care subsidies. |
Medicaid | None | None | States can apply for Section 1115 waivers to implement work requirements, but they must receive approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). |
Public housing | None | Eight hours of community service | Public housing authorities must apply to the Moving to Work (MTW) Program to implement work requirements. |
Work requirements by type of public assistance
Click the tabs below to learn details about each public assistance program:
Noteworthy events
- West Virginia Senate advances work requirements expansion for SNAP benefits (2024): The West Virginia State Senate on February 23, 2024, passed Senate Bill 562, which aims to raise the age of able-bodied adults without dependents who must meet work requirements to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in the state. SB 562 would increase the age to 59 for SNAP recipients in West Virginia to meet work requirements, with certain exceptions.[13] [14]
See also
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program work requirements
- Medicaid work requirements
- Public housing work requirements
- Child care subsidy work requirements
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ USDA Food and Nutrition Service, "ABAWD Waivers," accessed January 31, 2024
- ↑ Justia U.S. Law, "WV Code § 9-8-2," accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 USDA, "SNAP Work Requirements," accessed May 16, 2023
- ↑ HHS, "SNAP ABAWD work requirements," accessed June 2, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1 - 119th Congress (2025 - 2026)," July 4, 2025
- ↑ USDA Food and Nutrition Service, "ABAWD Waivers," accessed July 1, 2025
- ↑ dhhr.wv.gov, "Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan For West Virginia: FFY 2022-2024", accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑ Urban Institute, Child care subsidies, accessed May 31, 2023
- ↑ HHS Child care, parental activities and reason for care, accessed May 31, 2023
- ↑ Child care aware, child care and development block grant, accessed May 31, 2023
- ↑ Social Security, Demonstration Projects, accessed May 15, 2023
- ↑ "West Virginia Legislature," "Bill Status - 2024 Regular Session," accessed February 28, 2024
- ↑ "West Virginia Watch," "WV Senate passes bill increasing SNAP work requirements, sends Crown Act to finance committee," accessed February 28, 2024
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