The department announced Wednesday that it will require work, public service or job training for recipients who are between the ages of 18 and 49, who have no dependents living with them, who are not pregnant and not disabled.
That already is a requirement of SNAP, but since 2009, Maine has applied for and received a waiver from the federal government because of its high unemployment rate. Maine’s unemployment rate has dropped from a high of 9.7 percent in February 2010 to 5.5 percent last month.
“People who are in need deserve a hand up, but we should not be giving able-bodied individuals a handout,” Gov. Paul LePage said in a statement Wednesday. “We must continue to do all that we can to eliminate generational poverty and get people back to work. We must protect our limited resources for those who are truly in need and who are doing all they can to be self-sufficient.”
Recipients will be required to work at least 20 hours a week or volunteer for a community agency for a certain number of hours, depending on the value of their benefit. They may also participate in approved job-training programs, including the Maine Department of Labor’s Competitive Skills Scholarship Program.
