TANF work requirements
TANF is a work-conditioned program. Federal law measures states, not just individuals, on work participation: a state must show that a share of its families with a work-eligible adult is engaged in work or work activities. States then set the individual requirements that families must meet, and they must require a parent or caretaker receiving assistance to engage in work once the state determines the person is ready, or once the person has received assistance for 24 months, whichever is earlier.
The federal hour standards
Under section 407 of the Social Security Act, a family counts as engaged in work if it meets a monthly average of:
| Family type | Hours a week (monthly average) |
|---|---|
| Single parent with a child under 6 | 20 hours |
| Other single-parent families | 30 hours (20 in core activities) |
| Two-parent families | 35 hours (30 in core activities) |
| Two-parent families receiving federally funded child care | 55 hours (50 in core activities) |
Your state's individual requirement may be stated differently — for example as a daily or monthly target, or through an employment plan — but it is built around these federal standards. If your plan's hours look different from the table, ask which standard your family is measured against and whether your activities count as core or supplemental.
The 12 countable activities
Federal law lists 12 activities that count toward the work standard: unsubsidized employment; subsidized private-sector employment; subsidized public-sector employment; work experience; on-the-job training; job search and job readiness assistance (capped at 12 weeks in a 12-month period); community service; vocational educational training (capped at 12 months in a lifetime); job skills training directly related to employment; education directly related to employment for a recipient without a high school diploma; satisfactory attendance at secondary school; and providing child care for someone participating in a community service program. Activities outside that list may still be part of your state plan, but they may not count toward the federal rate — which is why an activity your caseworker encourages and an activity that satisfies the federal standard are not always the same thing.
Exemptions and good cause
States exempt some adults from work requirements, and the exemptions are state-defined. Common examples include caring for a very young child, a documented medical condition or disability, caring for a disabled family member, and domestic violence situations. Exemptions are usually time-limited and must be documented; an exemption that is not on file does not protect you from a sanction. If you believe you qualify for an exemption, raise it before you miss hours, not after a sanction notice arrives, and keep copies of any medical or other evidence you provide.
Child care and transport help
States may use TANF funds for child care and transport support connected to work activities, including funds transferred to the Child Care Development Fund. In fiscal year 2024, 17.0% of combined federal TANF and state maintenance-of-effort spending went to child care (HHS Administration for Children and Families, FY 2024 spending tables). Availability is not guaranteed in every state or for every family, so ask at application what help exists in your area and whether there is a waiting list. A work plan that assumes child care you do not have is a plan that will fail, and the agency should know that before the hours are set.