Officials with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services have made an important change that should help the program do a better job helping those who are part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

On Oct. 1, ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder announced a sliding scale to allow recipients to move off the program gradually.

That way, recipients will feel less as though they need to turn down promotions or new job opportunities to keep food on the table.

“Fear of losing food benefits can be a deterrent to taking a new job, working more hours or even accepting a promotion,” Damschroder said, according to WCMH-TV in Columbus. “This provides an incentive to accept promotions and pay raises knowing they won’t immediately lose benefits.”

Instead, rather than face a benefits cliff, recipients can now gradually have their benefits decrease as their income increases, until that income reaches 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

This is not just a win for recipients, it’s a win for employers. WCMH reports some employers called the benefits cliff a barrier to expanding their workforce because it was leading people to turn down extra hours, pay increases and promotions for fear of being disqualified from SNAP benefits immediately.

ODJFS also announced changes in the maximum SNAP benefits, ranging from $292 per month for a one-person household to $1,756 per month for an eight-person household. But work requirements have not changed. SNAP recipients between 18 and 59 must still register for work, take a suitable job if offered, not voluntarily quit a job or reduce hours below 30 per week or they must participate in employment and training programs.

For those working their way through the program, the sliding scale is an important change to help them keep reaching their own goals while reducing dependence on SNAP. Administrators of the program are to be commended for making the adjustment.