42 U.S.C. § 607
Section 607 · Mandatory work requirements
Viewing 42 U.S.C. § 607 as in effect on August 22, 1996. The text changed in 5 later editions (most recent June 3, 2023).
View current version →(1) All families
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title for a fiscal year shall achieve the minimum participation rate specified in the following table for the fiscal year with respect to all families receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part:
(2) 2-parent families
A State to which a grant is made under section 603 of this title for a fiscal year shall achieve the minimum participation rate specified in the following table for the fiscal year with respect to 2-parent families receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part:
(1) All families
(A) Average monthly rate
For purposes of subsection (a)(1) of this section, the participation rate for all families of a State for a fiscal year is the average of the participation rates for all families of the State for each month in the fiscal year.
(B) Monthly participation rates
The participation rate of a State for all families of the State for a month, expressed as a percentage, is—
(i) the number of families receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part that include an adult or a minor child head of household who is engaged in work for the month; divided by
(ii) the amount by which—
(I) the number of families receiving such assistance during the month that include an adult or a minor child head of household receiving such assistance; exceeds
(II) the number of families receiving such assistance that are subject in such month to a penalty described in subsection (e)(1) of this section but have not been subject to such penalty for more than 3 months within the preceding 12-month period (whether or not consecutive).
(2) 2-parent families
(A) Average monthly rate
For purposes of subsection (a)(2) of this section, the participation rate for 2-parent families of a State for a fiscal year is the average of the participation rates for 2-parent families of the State for each month in the fiscal year.
(B) Monthly participation rates
The participation rate of a State for 2-parent families of the State for a month shall be calculated by use of the formula set forth in paragraph (1)(B), except that in the formula the term “number of 2-parent families” shall be substituted for the term “number of families” each place such latter term appears.
(3) Pro rata reduction of participation rate due to caseload reductions not required by Federal law
(A) In general
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for reducing the minimum participation rate otherwise required by this section for a fiscal year by the number of percentage points equal to the number of percentage points (if any) by which—
(i) the average monthly number of families receiving assistance during the immediately preceding fiscal year under the State program funded under this part is less than
(ii) the average monthly number of families that received aid under the State plan approved under part A of this subchapter (as in effect on September 30, 1995) during fiscal year 1995.
The minimum participation rate shall not be reduced to the extent that the Secretary determines that the reduction in the number of families receiving such assistance is required by Federal law.
(B) Eligibility changes not counted
The regulations required by subparagraph (A) shall not take into account families that are diverted from a State program funded under this part as a result of differences in eligibility criteria under a State program funded under this part and eligibility criteria under the State program operated under the State plan approved under part A of this subchapter (as such plan and such part were in effect on September 30, 1995). Such regulations shall place the burden on the Secretary to prove that such families were diverted as a direct result of differences in such eligibility criteria.
(4) State option to include individuals receiving assistance under a tribal family assistance plan
For purposes of paragraphs (1)(B) and (2)(B), a State may, at its option, include families in the State that are receiving assistance under a tribal family assistance plan approved under section 612 of this title.
(5) State option for participation requirement exemptions
For any fiscal year, a State may, at its option, not require an individual who is a single custodial parent caring for a child who has not attained 12 months of age to engage in work, and may disregard such an individual in determining the participation rates under subsection (a) of this section for not more than 12 months.
(1) General rules
(A) All families
For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B)(i) of this section, a recipient is engaged in work for a month in a fiscal year if the recipient is participating in work activities for at least the minimum average number of hours per week specified in the following table during the month, not fewer than 20 hours per week of which are attributable to an activity described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (12) of subsection (d) of this section, subject to this subsection:
(B) 2-parent families
For purposes of subsection (b)(2)(B) of this section, an individual is engaged in work for a month in a fiscal year if—
(i) the individual is making progress in work activities for at least 35 hours per week during the month, not fewer than 30 hours per week of which are attributable to an activity described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (12) of subsection (d) of this section, subject to this subsection; and
(ii) if the family of the individual receives federally-funded child care assistance and an adult in the family is not disabled or caring for a severely disabled child, the individual's spouse is making progress in work activities during the month, not fewer than 20 hours per week of which are attributable to an activity described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or (7) of subsection (d) of this section.
(2) Limitations and special rules
(A) Number of weeks for which job search counts as work
(i) Limitation
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, an individual shall not be considered to be engaged in work by virtue of participation in an activity described in subsection (d)(6) of this section of a State program funded under this part, after the individual has participated in such an activity for 6 weeks (or, if the unemployment rate of the State is at least 50 percent greater than the unemployment rate of the United States, 12 weeks), or if the participation is for a week that immediately follows 4 consecutive weeks of such participation.
(ii) Limited authority to count less than full week of participation
For purposes of clause (i) of this subparagraph, on not more than 1 occasion per individual, the State shall consider participation of the individual in an activity described in subsection (d)(6) of this section for 3 or 4 days during a week as a week of participation in the activity by the individual.
(B) Single parent with child under age 6 deemed to be meeting work participation requirements if parent is engaged in work for 20 hours per week
For purposes of determining monthly participation rates under subsection (b)(1)(B)(i) of this section, a recipient in a 1-parent family who is the parent of a child who has not attained 6 years of age is deemed to be engaged in work for a month if the recipient is engaged in work for an average of at least 20 hours per week during the month.
(C) Teen head of household who maintains satisfactory school attendance deemed to be meeting work participation requirements
For purposes of determining monthly participation rates under subsection (b)(1)(B)(i) of this section, a recipient who is a single head of household and has not attained 20 years of age is deemed, subject to subparagraph (D) of this paragraph, to be engaged in work for a month in a fiscal year if the recipient—
(i) maintains satisfactory attendance at secondary school or the equivalent during the month; or
(ii) participates in education directly related to employment for at least the minimum average number of hours per week specified in the table set forth in paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection.
(D) Number of persons that may be treated as engaged in work by virtue of participation in vocational education activities or being a teen head of household who maintains satisfactory school attendance
For purposes of determining monthly participation rates under paragraphs (1)(B)(i) and (2)(B) of subsection (b) of this section, not more than 20 percent of individuals in all families and in 2-parent families may be determined to be engaged in work in the State for a month by reason of participation in vocational educational training or deemed to be engaged in work by reason of subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
As used in this section, the term “work activities” means—
(1) unsubsidized employment;
(2) subsidized private sector employment;
(3) subsidized public sector employment;
(4) work experience (including work associated with the refurbishing of publicly assisted housing) if sufficient private sector employment is not available;
(5) on-the-job training;
(6) job search and job readiness assistance;
(7) community service programs;
(8) vocational educational training (not to exceed 12 months with respect to any individual);
(9) job skills training directly related to employment;
(10) education directly related to employment, in the case of a recipient who has not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency;
(11) satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a certificate of general equivalence, in the case of a recipient who has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate; and
(12) the provision of child care services to an individual who is participating in a community service program.
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), if an individual in a family receiving assistance under the State program funded under this part refuses to engage in work required in accordance with this section, the State shall—
(A) reduce the amount of assistance otherwise payable to the family pro rata (or more, at the option of the State) with respect to any period during a month in which the individual so refuses; or
(B) terminate such assistance,
subject to such good cause and other exceptions as the State may establish.
(2) Exception
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a State may not reduce or terminate assistance under the State program funded under this part based on a refusal of an individual to work if the individual is a single custodial parent caring for a child who has not attained 6 years of age, and the individual proves that the individual has a demonstrated inability (as determined by the State) to obtain needed child care, for 1 or more of the following reasons:
(A) Unavailability of appropriate child care within a reasonable distance from the individual's home or work site.
(B) Unavailability or unsuitability of informal child care by a relative or under other arrangements.
(C) Unavailability of appropriate and affordable formal child care arrangements.
(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (2), an adult in a family receiving assistance under a State program funded under this part attributable to funds provided by the Federal Government may fill a vacant employment position in order to engage in a work activity described in subsection (d) of this section.
(2) No filling of certain vacancies
No adult in a work activity described in subsection (d) of this section which is funded, in whole or in part, by funds provided by the Federal Government shall be employed or assigned—
(A) when any other individual is on layoff from the same or any substantially equivalent job; or
(B) if the employer has terminated the employment of any regular employee or otherwise caused an involuntary reduction of its workforce in order to fill the vacancy so created with an adult described in paragraph (1).
(3) Grievance procedure
A State with a program funded under this part shall establish and maintain a grievance procedure for resolving complaints of alleged violations of paragraph (2).
(4) No preemption
Nothing in this subsection shall preempt or supersede any provision of State or local law that provides greater protection for employees from displacement.
It is the sense of the Congress that in complying with this section, each State that operates a program funded under this part is encouraged to assign the highest priority to requiring adults in 2-parent families and adults in single-parent families that include older preschool or school-age children to be engaged in work activities.
It is the sense of the Congress that the States should require noncustodial, nonsupporting parents who have not attained 18 years of age to fulfill community work obligations and attend appropriate parenting or money management classes after school.
During fiscal year 1999, the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate shall hold hearings and engage in other appropriate activities to review the implementation of this section by the States, and shall invite the Governors of the States to testify before them regarding such implementation. Based on such hearings, such Committees may introduce such legislation as may be appropriate to remedy any problems with the State programs operated pursuant to this section.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Prior Provisions
A prior section 607, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, §407, as added May 8, 1961, Pub. L. 87–31, §1, 75 Stat. 75; amended July 25, 1962, Pub. L. 87–543, title I, §§104(a)(3)(E), 131(a), 134, 76 Stat. 185, 193, 196; Oct. 13, 1964, Pub. L. 88–641, §2(b), 78 Stat. 1042; June 29, 1967, Pub. L. 90–36, §2, 81 Stat. 94; Jan. 2, 1968, Pub. L. 90–248, title II, §203(a), 81 Stat. 882; June 28, 1968, Pub. L. 90–364, title III, §302, 82 Stat. 273; Dec. 28, 1971, Pub. L. 92–223, §3(a)(10), (11), 85 Stat. 805; Oct. 20, 1976, Pub. L. 94–566, title V, §507(a), (b), (d), 90 Stat. 2688; Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97–35, title XXIII, §§2313(a), (c)(2), 2353(q), 95 Stat. 853, 854, 874; July 18, 1984, Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, §2663(c)(4), (j)(3)(B)(ii), 98 Stat. 1166, 1171; Oct. 13, 1988, Pub. L. 100–485, title II, §202(b)(7)–(11), title IV, §401(a)(2)(B), (C), (b)(1), (3), (c), (h), 102 Stat. 2377, 2378, 2394–2396; Nov. 10, 1988, Pub. L. 100–647, title VIII, §8105(1)–(3), (5), 102 Stat. 3797; Dec. 19, 1989, Pub. L. 101–239, title X, §10403(a)(1)(A)(i), (2), 103 Stat. 2487, 2488; Nov. 5, 1990, Pub. L. 101–508, title V, §§5061(a), 5062(a), 104 Stat. 1388–231, 1388–232, related to dependent children of unemployed parents, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–193, §103(a)(1).
Effective Date
Section effective July 1, 1997, with transition rules relating to State options to accelerate such date, rules relating to claims, actions, and proceedings commenced before such date, rules relating to closing out of accounts for terminated or substantially modified programs and continuance in office of Assistant Secretary for Family Support, and provisions relating to termination of entitlement under AFDC program, see section 116 of Pub. L. 104–193, as amended, set out as a note under section 601 of this title.