The good news is that the economy continues to "improve." The bad news is that somewhere between a million and half-million Americans will be booted off SNAP (food stamps) in the coming year because they can't find work.
New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia and 20 other states will allow able-bodied adults without dependents to receive food assistance for only three months unless they work at least 20 hours per week. Though states are carrying out the policy, it's a requirement of federal law that had been waived for the past several years because of widespread joblessness.Looking for employment has long been a requirement for some forms of government assistance. The problem here is that looking and finding are two different things.
The three-month limit has traditionally been called a "work requirement," but the [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities] quibbles with that characterization because work or qualifying "work activities" are not necessarily available."Because this provision denies basic food assistance to people who want to work and will accept any job or work program slot offered, it is effectively a severe time limit rather than a work requirement, as such requirements are commonly understood," the Center says.
So there you go. Yes, I do sometimes think we need to put more thought into these things.