Around 50,000 Americans have lost SNAP benefits after federal work requirements changed in December.
The Nevada Department of Human Services announced that as of December 1, beneficiaries aged between 18 and 64 who are classified as able-bodied adults without dependents would be required to work a minimum of 20 hours a week or participate in job searching, training or volunteer activities for the same amount of time.
Because of updated requirements, roughly 45,000 Nevadans will no longer qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program this spring.
Why It Matters
A little over 40 million Americans receive SNAP benefits every year. These benefits help low-income Americans secure food items at their local grocery store. Losing the benefits could lead to food insecurity, but the government has adopted more stringent work requirements to reduce waste and fraud within the program.
What To Know
Those aged 18 to 64 who are physically and mentally able to work and do not have children under 14 in their household will be affected by the new work requirements for SNAP due to changes pushed through by the Trump administration.
Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act also added a new eligibility change, requiring veterans, youth who aged out of foster care and those experiencing homelessness to meet the government’s work requirements when previously they were exempt.
In Nevada specifically, 72,000 people who were not meeting the work requirements or exemption criteria were notified. And follow-up notices were sent in the middle of this month to alert those who still didn’t qualify under the new eligibility rules.
“The Nevada Division of Social Services has been working with various community partners to identify volunteer opportunities to help those impacted individuals,” Deputy Administrator Kelly Cantrelle said, according to Las Vegas news station 8 News Now. “DSS remains committed to supporting Nevadans with accessing the benefits they need while also helping them overcome barriers to employment.”
Across the state, 433,000 residents earn SNAP benefits monthly. For those who now do not meet eligibility requirements, they can search for volunteer and work program opportunities on the Division of Social Services website.
Veterans and the homeless are most vulnerable under the changes, according to Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com.
“Two groups that are often hardest to reach for compliance documentation now have zero safety net protection from work requirements. Rural and low-access areas get hit hardest,” Ryan said. “Twenty hours a week of qualifying activity sounds straightforward until you account for people without transportation, broadband, or nearby training programs.”
What People Are Saying
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: “On the surface, many will view this as a reasonable standard and for some, it is. But there are real-life situations that complicate things. For example, someone may have a child over the age of 14 who is medically dependent or has special needs, making it difficult to maintain consistent employment.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “The problem, as is often the case when rules change, is many recipients may be unaware of these alterations and could find themselves disqualified from benefits if they’re not meeting the new requirements. For SNAP recipients, now is the time to make sure you’re meeting these requirements. With inflationary pressures weighing heavily on many households, losing those benefits could be a devastating blow.”
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek: “SNAP is becoming a system that punishes the most vulnerable for both receiving too much by accident and for not proving they deserve what they get. The elderly, veterans, and homeless are caught in both traps at once.”
What Happens Next
After using three months of SNAP without meeting work requirements, able‑bodied adults without dependents lose eligibility. Benefits can only be restored if the individual works or participates in approved activities for at least 80 hours within a 30‑day period, or later qualifies for an exemption.
While many recipients will reach that cutoff in spring 2026, the exact timing depends on state implementation and a person’s prior SNAP history.
“The unintended consequence here is that more people may fall through the cracks. Over time, that likely means fewer people qualifying for benefits, longer periods without support, and in some cases, increased interaction with the legal system,” Thompson said.
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