SI 00820.135: Wage Verification and Reported Wages Over $65 per Month

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~~Effective Dates: 02/26/2015 - Present~~
Effective Dates: 08/17/2018 - Present
TN 55 (05-11)
SI 00820.135 Wage Verification and Reported Wages Over $65 per Month
A. Procedure for developing “reported” wages
Use this chart to determine whether verification development is necessary for “reported” wages (i.e., those indicated on the Supplemental Security Record (SSR) by a verification code of “0”).
When evaluating “reported” wages over $65 per month for a recipient or a deemor, take the following steps:
Step
Action
1
Does the earned income (ENIH) segment of the SSR contain wages with a verification code of “0”?
If yes, go to Step 2.
If no, and wage verification is required per SI 00820.125, “When Wage Verification Is and Is not Required”, refer to the next chart in this section.
REMINDER: It is mandatory to attempt to recruit and train all recipients, deemors, and representative payees to report wages through the automated Supplemental Security Income Telephone Wage Reporting system or the Supplemental Security Income Mobile Wage Reporting application, unless an exception or exclusion applies. For more information regarding Monthly Wage Reporting and Recruiting Reporters, see SI 00820.143 and SI 00820.144.
REMINDER: It is mandatory to attempt to recruit and train all recipients, deemors, and representative payees to report wages through automated reporting systems (i.e. myWageReport, Supplemental Security Income Telephone Wage Reporting system, and the Supplemental Security Income Mobile Wage Reporting application), unless an exception or exclusion applies. For more information regarding Monthly Wage Reporting and Recruiting Reporters, see SI 00820.143 and SI 00820.144.
2
Are there more than two consecutive months with an alleged wage amount (verification code of “1”) at any time during the period you are developing?
If yes, go to Step 4.
If no, go to Step 3.
3
Is the total number of months with an “alleged” (1) wage greater than the total number of months with a “reported” (0) wage and/or a “verified” (9) wage during the period you are developing?
If yes, go to Step 4.
If no, go to Step 5.
4
Develop all wages during the period being developed according to the wage verification procedures. Refer to the chart in SI 00820.135B in this section.
STOP.
5
Does the diary data (DIAR) segment of the SSR contain an S2, K6, K7, S7, J3, or J5?
If yes, go to Step 6.
If no, go to Step 7.
6
Develop the wage interface diary according to relevant instructions
* SI 02310.055 – Master Earnings File (MEF) Match (K6 and K7 Diary)
* SI 02310.056 – Master Earnings File (MEF) Match (J3 and J5 Diaries)
* SI 02310.062 – State Wage Record Match (S2 Diary)
* SI 02310.063 – State Wage Record Match (S7 Diary)
STOP.
7
The wages for the period being developed do not require verification. Consider the wages verified unless the system later posts a wage interface alert to the SSR.
Does the individual have IRWE or BWE during the period that you are developing?
If yes, go to Step 8.
If no, then no further action is necessary. STOP.
8
Verify the IRWE or BWE according to the following instructions:
* SI 00820.540 – Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE)
* SI 00820.535 – Blind Work Expenses (BWE)
B. Procedure for verifying wages over $65
Use this chart to determine what steps are necessary to verify wages over $65 per month for a recipient or deemor. Also, use this chart for an ineligible child, student, or a member of an eligible couple (if such wages, when combined with wages of the spouse, exceed $65).
1. Chart for verifying wages over $65 per month
Step
Action
1
Does the individual have acceptable pay slips for some or all of the period being verified? For information that must be shown on a pay slip for us to consider it acceptable evidence of wages, see the first bullet in SI 00820.130A.1.
If yes, go to Step 2.
If no, go to Step 7.
2
Were any wages deferred during the period covered by the pay slips i.e., set aside rather than paid on the normal payment date? For more information regarding wage advances and deferred wages, see SI 00820.115.
If yes, go to Step 3.
If no, go to Step 4.
3
Post and document deferred wages per SI 00820.115C.2.
Go to Step 5.
4
Use SSI Monthly Wage Verification (SSIMWV) intranet application to:
input and document a wage report submitted with pay slips;
print and issue a work report receipt via SSIMWV and archive it to the Online Retrieval System (ORS) to serve as documentation of wages. For in-person and telephone reports, generate a receipt immediately, and give or mail to the reporter;
establish the work report for mailed, faxed, or dropped off reports in the FO, and mail the receipt to the reporter within 5 days of receipt of the information. For establishing work reports in eWork see DI 13010.020.
No other action is necessary to document the report.
IMPORTANT: If processing multiple months of pay slips, you must issue a separate work report receipt for each month to meet the documentation requirements.
When not using SSIMWV, post the wages when received using MSSICS or a 1719(b) (SSI Post-Eligibility Input).
Was SSIMWV used to input all wages and document the wage report(s)?
If yes, STOP
If no, go to Step 5.
5
Do the pay slips cover earnings for the entire period that you are verifying? Or, if not, can you determine the wages attributable to the missing pay slip(s) by other evidence (e.g., year-to-date totals)?
If yes, go to Step 6.
If no, go to Step 7.
6
For documenting wages based on pay slips, follow the procedures in SI 00820.130C.1.
In initial claims, annotate the remarks of the MSSICS Wages (IWAG) screen with the source of verification.
STOP.
7
Is the employer registered with an SSA-approved wage verification company?
If yes, follow the procedures to obtain and document wage verification SI 00820.147.
STOP.
If no, go to step 8.
8
Does the individual have evidence showing annual wage amounts, such as W-2 forms or Federal or State income tax forms? Or, is there a Master Earnings File (MEF)?
If yes,
Divide the annual amount by the number of alleged months worked, to arrive at a “verified” wage amount to post for each month.
Document the evidence of annual wages on Evidence Screen (EVID) or record the annual wages and the source on a MSSICS Report of Contact (DROC) screen and lock it.
Document the individual’s allegation of the number of months worked on a MSSICS Person Statement (DPST) screen, or in non-MSSICS situations, obtain a signed SSA-795 (Statement of Claimant or Other Person), or SSA-5002 (Report of Contact), and fax it into Non-disability Repository for Evidentiary Documents (NDReD) or Certified Electronic Folder (CEF), as appropriate.
STOP.
If no, go to Step 9.
NOTE: The procedure in this step also applies to wage information displayed quarterly in the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), Interstate Benefits Inquiry (IBIQ), and SSA Access to State Records Online (SASRO). Divide the quarterly amount by the number of months work is alleged.
9
Phone the employer to verify wages. You need to know when wages were paid, not earned.
If the employer verifies wages and no deferred wages are involved,
post the wages when received, and
document EVID with the wage information obtained from the employer (gross wages, period covered, pay date), or
record the information on a MSSICS DROC screen and lock it. Include the date of the call, contact person’s name, title, and telephone number. In non-MSSICS situations, document an SSA-5002 (Report of Contact) and fax it into NDRED or CEF, as appropriate.
If the employer verifies wages and deferred wages are involved,
post deferred wages per SI 00820.115B.2.,
post the remainder of wages when received, and
document the verified deferred wages on EVID, or on a MSSICS DROC screen and lock it; or, in non-MSSICS situations, document the deferred wages and the employer contact information: date, contact person’s name, title, and telephone number on an SSA-5002 and fax it into NDReD or CEF, as appropriate.
If the employer will not provide wage verification and refers you to a non-SSA approved wage verification company for wage information, go to Step 10.
If the employer verifies wages, but you determine that an oral statement is insufficient, go to Step 11.
If the employer is uncooperative, or you cannot reach the employer by phone, go to Step 11.
10
Is the wage verification available from a non-SSA approved wage verification company?
If yes, accept the wage verification from the non-SSA approved wage verification company. For evidence of wages or termination of wages, see the procedures in SI 00820.130. STOP.
If no, go to Step 12.
11
Send the employer an SSA-L4201-BK (Letter to Employer Requesting Wage Information).
If the employer verifies wages and no deferred wages are involved,
post wages when received,
document SSA-L4201-BK evidence on EVID or on a MSSICS DROC screen and lock it, or in non-MSSICS situations, fax the SSA-L4201-BK into NDReD or CEF, as appropriate. STOP.
If the employer verifies wages and deferred wages are involved,
post deferred wages per SI 00820.115C.,
charge the remainder of wages when received,
document the information extracted from the SSA-L4201-BK on EVID or a MSSICS DROC screen and lock it or, in non-MSSICS situations, fax the SSA-L4201-BK into NDRED or CEF, as appropriate. STOP.
If the employer is uncooperative or cannot be located, go to Step 12.
12
Obtain the individual's allegation of the amount and frequency of wages and document per Step 8. NOTE: If the only evidence is an individual's allegation of annual wages, divide the annual wage amount by the number of months of alleged work to arrive at a “verified” wage amount to post for each of those months.
Post the verified wages as verified in this step. Code the wage amount with “9” verification indicator.
Document the individual’s statement on the MSSICS DPST screen or in non-MSSICS situations, obtain a signed SSA-795 (Statement of Claimant or Other Person) or SSA-5002 (Report of Contact), and fax it into NDRED or CEF, as appropriate.
2. Evidence lacks credibility or discrepancy
If you question the credibility of pay slips or an oral or written statement from an employer and the employer does not subscribe to a wage verification company, or if the annual amount of wages reported by an employer differs from the annual amount on a DEQY in file you must:
* use other acceptable evidence of wages to resolve the wage amount and any discrepancy by obtaining acceptable evidence of wages per SI 00820.130, and
* document the wage determination on a MSSICS DROC screen and lock it; in non-MSSICS situations, use an SSA-553 (Special Determination) and fax it into NDReD or CEF, as appropriate.
C. References
* SI 00820.115 Wage Advances and Deferred Wages
* SI 00820.130 Evidence of Wages or Termination of Wages
* SI 00820.131 Income Summary Worksheets
* SI 00820.140 Wage Verification - $65 or Less
* SI 00820.141 Alternative Wage Verification – Periodic Reports With Evidence
* SI 00820.142 Alternative Wage Verification – Sheltered Workshop Pays $65 or Less Per Month to All
* SI 00820.143 Monthly Wage Reporting
* SI 00820.144 Monthly Wage Reporting — Recruiting Reporters
* SI 00820.147 Evidence of Wages – Wage Verification Companies
* SI 02302.060 Quarterly Verification of Earnings
* GN 00301.286 Electronic Evidence Documentation and Retention
* GN 00301.287 How Evidence is Recorded on EVID and DROC in PE Situations
* GN 00301.288 What Information is Needed on EVID and DROC in PE Situations to Identify the Type of Evidence Submitted
* MSOM QUERIES 009.001 Interstate Benefit Inquiry (IBIQ)
* MSOM QUERIES 003.015 National Directory New Hire, Wage, Unemployment Menu (NDNH)
* MSOM EVID 001.003 Evidence Screen

POMS Reference

SI 00820.135: Wage Verification and Reported Wages Over $65 per Month