SNAP Benefits Update: Can the Minimum Wage Hike in Hawaii Affect Food Stamp Payments?

Officials said the main worry of SNAP benefits' eligible recipients in Hawaii was that the minimum wage hike in the state could affect their benefits.

SNAP benefits in Hawaii might be affected since it is a program based on the recipient's gross monthly income. However, the deputy director of the state Department of Human Services (DHS), Joseph Campos, noted that gross monthly income is not the only factor they would consider when determining an applicant's eligibility, Hawaii News reported.

Campos said "various things," such as medical expenses and household size, are also being considered on the applicant's eligibility for SNAP benefits in Hawaii. He added that the agency will help those on the edge of losing their benefits due to the minimum wage hike when the time comes for their review.

Campos said the federal government could have offset the wage increase when they upped the requirement for those receiving food stamp payments. The DHS reviews the eligibility of its beneficiaries in Hawaii every six months.

SNAP Benefits Hawaii

Hawaii is among the states that would be getting emergency allotments in SNAP benefits payments, according to Low Income Relief. On its website, the DHS in Hawaii said the October 2022 SNAP benefits emergency allotment will be made available for eligible recipients on November 16.

Aside from the emergency allotments, SNAP benefits' maximum allotments for a family of four in Hawaii have increased to $1,794 following the cost-of-living adjustment rate (COLA), which started last October 1.

Reports said the COLA raised the benefits by 12.5%. Resource limits will also be adjusted, including maximum homeless shelter deduction and shelter cap value.

SNAP benefits Hawaii eligibility is reviewed based on gross income, net income, and assets. To qualify for SNAP benefits in Hawaii, you must have a current bank balance under $2,001, both savings and checking combined.

You can also qualify for the food stamps payments if you have a current bank balance under $3,001 and share your household with a person age 60 and above or a person with a disability, as stated by the Government Benefits website. SNAP benefits in Hawaii are being distributed through an Electronic Benefits Transfer card.

Minimum Wage Hike in Hawaii

Last September, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) said in a press release that the minimum wage in Hawaii will increase to $12.00 per hour starting on October 1.

It was the first minimum wage hike since 2019 when the minimum wage rate was set at $10.10 per hour. DLIR Director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio said the minimum wage law's purpose was to protect the "health, efficiency, and general well-being of workers."

In 2024, the minimum wage rate in Hawaii will increase to $14.00 per hour, and in 2026, it will be $16.00. The minimum wage hike was made possible with the enactment of Act 114, Session Laws of Hawaii.

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Written by: Mary Webber

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