SNAP work requirements took effect Nov. 1 in eight Michigan counties and the city of Bay City, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said in a release dated Oct. 30. The rule applies to able-bodied adults ages 18 to 64 without children under 14 who get SNAP, which Michigan calls food assistance. The department says the change affects “thousands of individuals.”
The picture depends on the county. Seven counties and five cities, including Detroit, remain under a federal waiver for now, while the rule already applied in the rest of Michigan. For a household in one of the newly covered areas, the clock on benefits starts running this month.
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Which Michigan counties are newly covered?
The department’s list of areas that lost their waiver is Alger, Arenac, Iosco, Iron, Luce, Montmorency, Oceana and Roscommon counties, plus Bay City. Those places previously had a federal waiver that excused them because of high unemployment.
The areas still waived are Alcona, Cheboygan, Mackinac, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Presque Isle and Schoolcraft counties, and the cities of Detroit, Eastpointe, Flint, Jackson and Saginaw. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service approved Michigan’s waiver request in a letter dated Nov. 20, 2025, covering 15 counties, six cities and eight reservation areas. That approval ran from Nov. 1, 2025 through Oct. 31, 2026, which explains the Nov. 1 timing.
What does a SNAP recipient have to do?
Adults who are covered can receive benefits for up to three months within a 36-month period unless they meet the rule. The department says that means 80 hours a month of work, whether paid, unpaid, volunteer or in exchange for goods or services, or a Michigan Works! employment and training program in select counties, or nonprofit community service.
The department’s list does not cover every situation, so a recipient who is unsure whether a job, a class or a volunteer role counts should ask the local office before the three months run out. For volunteer or workfare hours, the requirement equals the household’s monthly benefit divided by Michigan’s minimum wage. The department lists exemptions that include physical or mental inability to work, disability benefits, pregnancy, unemployment benefits, substance use treatment, half-time training or college, and caring for an incapacitated person or a child under 6. People who live with a child under 14, or who are American Indian, Urban Indian or California Indian, are also exempt.
Why are more people covered than a few years ago?
The age range is wider because of the federal tax and spending law signed in 2025. The Detroit Free Press reported through Michigan Public that adults over 54 and parents of children under 18 were previously exempt, and that the new policy removed exceptions for homeless people, veterans and young adults who aged out of foster care.
The same report says more than 167,000 Michiganders, including more than 53,000 children, have left SNAP since last summer. The paper also reports that refugees and asylum recipients are no longer eligible under the new law. Enrollment fell nearly 12 percent by August 2026, to about 1.2 million people. Erin Frisch, a senior deputy director at the department, told the Free Press that “people are dropping out because they don’t fully understand or they miss the communication” about new responsibilities.
What is the state’s own stake in the change?
Michigan also took on more of the cost of running the program. The Free Press reports that as of Oct. 1 the state pays 75 percent of SNAP administrative costs, up from 50 percent, an expected $95 million a year. The state could also owe up to 15 percent of benefit costs depending on its payment error rate, which was 9.5 percent in fiscal 2024; states under 6 percent keep full federal funding.
Advocates say the enrollment drop is not a sign that families are doing better. Julie Cassidy of the Michigan League for Public Policy told the paper, “Families are not dropping off of SNAP because they are better off financially.” Jasmine Carson of the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency said either the process is becoming too challenging or the requirements are not realistic for families. Karley Abramson of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan said the state “will be bearing the brunt of the cost, in both human and economic value, without really any benefit.”
Where can a recipient get answers?
The department’s acting director, Amy Epkey, said in the release, “Our priority is ensuring that participants understand what these changes mean and where to find help.” Recipients can contact their local MDHHS office or check MI Bridges, the state’s online benefits portal, for updates. The release also points to 2-1-1 and the Food Bank Council of Michigan for food resources.
About 1.4 million Michigan residents, nearly 13 percent of households, receive SNAP, according to the department. Anyone who gets a notice about hours or a time limit has a reason to open it right away, because a department official told the Free Press that people are leaving the program when they miss or misread that mail.
Is an adult in a newly covered Michigan county at risk of losing SNAP after three months?
The three-month clock does not wait for a notice to be understood. An adult in Alger, Arenac, Iosco, Iron, Luce, Montmorency, Oceana or Roscommon County, or in Bay City, who is not working 80 hours a month or exempt can lose benefits, and a missed letter can make it happen sooner.
The SNAP & Medicaid Renewal Organizer covers the SNAP work-rule time limit and who is exempt, with a renewal and reporting calendar so dates are not missed. The 20-page organizer also includes a renewal document checklist.
Get the SNAP work-rule time-limit and exemption guide for Michigan households →
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
David M. Keller is a finance writer based in Columbus, Ohio, covering personal finance and consumer-focused economic topics. He earned his degree in journalism from Ohio University and began his career reporting on local business and economic trends for a regional media outlet. Since then, he has contributed to a variety of online publications, focusing on clear, practical coverage of topics such as cost of living, debt, and everyday financial decision-making.
