As the federal government shutdown extends closer to surpassing the longest shut down in history (35 days), Congressional leaders are no closer to an agreement to re-open the government. Unfortunately, as the shutdown continues, impacts to Americans across the country are being felt more directly.
With respect to federal funding related to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the U.S. Department of Labor has recently released the ‘advance’ funding for the Adult and Dislocated Worker programs. That will allow local workforce development boards and American Jobs Centers to continue operating but there are ongoing impacts to individual participants as well as workforce adjacent programs that may cause further funding delays and/or service interruptions.
One of the deepest pain points that is emerging as a national issue is the absence of funding for SNAP benefits, beginning November 1st. The Administration was able to fund SNAP benefits through October but have decided not to use emergency funds for the November benefits. Conversations at the state and local level are ongoing about strategies to continue providing aid to SNAP beneficiaries through this pause. Workforce leaders can engage in this effort as access to food will impact individuals and families going to work and/or completing a training program. Collectively, there is a focus on ensuring that work/training/education is not interrupted due to the funding lapse.
Recently, the US Department of Agriculture released new SNAP work requirement guidelines, as prescribed by the One, Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). Many of these changes will go into effect in November for SNAP recipients. As a refresher, those changes include increasing the upper end of the age range for work requirements from 55 to 64, as well as lowering the age of a household for an exemption from 18 to under the age of 14.
USDA also placed a notice to states that existing SNAP waivers based on insufficient jobs would only be effective for 30 days after its memo was issued (October 3, 2025), effectively making that time period November 2, 2025. The OBBB identifies waivers specifically for areas with a persistent (12-month average) unemployment rate above 10%.
Across the MUS network, we are expecting increased enrollments at American Jobs Centers given these SNAP policy changes and increased focus on work requirements.
