LANSING (WKZO AM/FM) — About 16,000 able-bodied Michiganders without dependents in ten counties who are now receiving food assistance will have to meet job requirements to remain eligible after the New Year. There will be a three month grace period to make the transition.
According to the state Health and Human Services department, the rules are actually old work requirements that were waived by the federal government when Michigan’s unemployment rate headed for the stratosphere 15-years ago.
Recipients between the age of 18 and 49 will either have to work at a non-profit, be training for work or working 20 hours a week in an unsubsidized job to qualify.
Ten counties are impacted by this phase of the reimplementation of the rules, including: Kalamazoo, Allegan, Barry and Berrien County in this area. Also included in this phase of the reinstatement of the rules Grand Traverse County to the north and Ingham, Ionia, Clinton, Livingston and Eaton County in mid-Michigan.
The rules have already gone into effect in counties like Kent and Ottawa that have even lower unemployment numbers. The requirements should be reinstated in the rest of the state by sometime in 2018.
