As of June 1, new work requirements will take effect for the CalFresh program, making about 33,000 people in Kern County who receive CalFresh possibly ineligible, according to Jacquie Huang, the Assistant Program Manager assigned to CalFresh Policy from the Kern County Department of Human Services. The new rule will require people between the ages of 18 and 64 who do not have a dependent under 14 or a disability to work 20 hours a week or participate in a volunteer program.
The new requirements fall under the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) rules. If the work requirement is not met, then they will only be able to receive CalFresh for three months. Community members will need to show proof when they go to recertify for the next 12 months or 36 months if they are over the age of 60. A person can show proof of work through a paystub or by having the organization they volunteer with sign off on how many hours they worked.
Exemptions from the rule include:
- Under age 18 or over age 64
- A parent or a person responsible for a dependent child under the age of 14
- You are excused from the general CalFresh work requirements
- Unable to work at least 20 hours per week or a total of 80 hours or more per month because of a physical or mental health issue.
- Unable to work because you are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction or a victim of domestic violence or experiencing chronic homelessness. The condition must be tied to a physical or mental health issue.
- Pregnant (any stage of pregnancy).
- Identify as an Indian, Urban Indian or California Indian under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA).
- Participating in an Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) training program for at least half-time.
- Living in an area where the ABAWD work requirement is waived.
If a person earns $217.50 a week, they can also be exempt from the work requirement.
For a county to be waived, Huang explained, they’d have to meet the unemployment rates of having 10 percent higher for the last 12 months on a regular seasonal basis. She stated that Kern County does not meet that requirement, but used to qualify under another criterion before HR.1 (The Big Beautiful Bill) got rid of it. According to the Employment Development Department (EDD), Labor Market Information Division, the unemployment rate for Kern County in April 2026 was 8.7 percent.
“We have not had an unemployment rate over 10 percent in Kern County since the pandemic era. But we didn’t qualify based on that criteria,” said Huang. “We qualified based on a criteria of having insufficient jobs to cover the unemployed people. And so, with H.R. 1, the Big Beautiful Bill in July 2025, that criteria was removed. And so, that’s no longer a way for areas to qualify for a waiver. So, Kern County doesn’t qualify for a waiver going forward.”
Currently, the only counties in California that are exempt from the requirement are: Alpine, Colusa, Imperial, Merced, Monterey, Plumas, and Tulare.
Huang stated that in preparing documents to recertify it is important for community members to report any exemptions they may qualify for.
“We’re definitely going to be proactive about reviewing for all exemptions at application and recertification, so that we know. We can really identify the population that don’t have to comply with the work rules. As well as those who do. Additionally, I would say it’s really important that individuals let us know when they are doing those community service hours, and so that we can count those toward their meeting the work requirement.
As of now, Huang does not know of any programs to assist those who no longer qualify for CalFresh, and they are reaching out to community partners to coordinate and identify volunteer opportunities in the community. She stated they are also working with a consultant to analyze the impacts of HR.1 moving forward.
