TN 25 (08-99)

A. Background

For several years, SSA conducted a direct match with the States and the District of Columbia (D.C.) to obtain wage and UC data. Not all States participated in this match. Beginning in 1998, SSA will start a new matching operation for wage and UC information — a match with information collected by the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE).

OCSE will collect wage and UC information from the States and D.C. and many Federal agencies for “parent-locator” purposes. SSA will match the wage and UC information against the SSR. This is a significant improvement over the “old” wage and UC matches because (a) SSA will receive information from all States and D.C. and many Federal agencies; (b) this will require just one computer matching agreement for SSA, instead of a separate agreement with each State/D.C. and many Federal agencies; and (c) SSA will match the SSR against the wage and UC data every quarter, rather than every 6 months. The OCSE match will replace the “old” wage and UC matches; once the OCSE match is in place, the direct matching arrangements with the States and D.C. will end.

B. Description of The Direct Match With The States (The “Old” Match)

SSA sent a “finder” file to each participating State and D.C. in February and August each year. The file contained records identifying all SSI recipients and deemors in that State and, for most States, in the nearby counties of the surrounding States. The States and D.C. were requested to send in wage data on these persons for the 4 most recent calendar quarters for which at least 90 percent of the wages had been posted.

The wage data obtained from the States and D.C. were electronically compared to the wage data on the SSR. When the comparison showed significant unreported or underreported wages, alerts were generated to FOs and diaries were posted to the SSR for FOs to resolve discrepancies, update the SSR, determine past and continuing SSI eligibility, and pursue overpayment recovery.

The State and D.C. wage amounts for each person were compared to the wage amounts for the person on the SSR at the end of March and September each year. State and D.C. files that were not available timely were matched at the end of the following June and December, respectively. A State/D.C. whose files were delayed and used in June or December would nevertheless receive a new finder file and be included in the match of the following March or September.

C. Description of The OCSE Match

SSA matches the SSR against the OCSE wage database, looking for significant wage discrepancies for all SSI recipients and deemors in all States and D.C. When the comparison shows significant unreported or underreported wages, alerts are generated to FOs and diaries are posted to the SSR for FOs to resolve discrepancies, update the SSR, determine past and continuing SSI eligibility, and pursue overpayment recovery.

D. Description of Alert

The alert/diary from the OCSE match, as under the old match, is designated as “S2”. Generally, an alert will only have one quarter's data. However, it is possible for an alert to have 2 quarters' data if the information is posted to the OCSE database too late.

1. The system generates an alert, controlled by the Post Entitlement Operational Data Store (PE ODS) system and posts an S2 diary, when:

   • A wage record is detected for a recipient, deemor, or essential person; and

   • The wage amount for a quarter exceeds the SSR wage amount for that quarter by more than a certain “tolerance.” The tolerance for a recipient's wages is $250 for a quarter. The tolerance for a deemor's wages is $500 for a quarter.

2. The alert is suppressed if:

   • The SSR already has an “S2” diary (in which case a new diary is not set, but a paper alert with updated information is sent); or

   • The wages are for a period prior to eligibility; or

   • The SSR had a payment status other than CO1 or MO1 or E01 in the current quarter or in all months of the reporting quarter; or

   • When the wages are for a deemor, the SSR shows that the deemor was receiving assistance based on need (ABON) for any month of the quarter.

3. Replace Lost Alert

   FOs can replace lost alerts via their Regional Offices.

4. Sample alert:

 S2-STATE/SSI EARNED INCOME DISCREPANCY  RUN DATE  - MMDDYY    

   FO      HUN      SURNAME      TAN          NAME      TYPE     

  289  000-00-0000   SMITH  000-00-0000    SMITH,B.     DI       

  DELOPS INC                                             

  C/O THE FRICK CO                          

  PO BOX 283                              (If applicable:) 

  ST LOUIS           63166 

    $351.00 QTR/YR=31998  STATE CODE=22   UPDATE OF PRIOR ALERT   

  DELOPS INC                                             

  C/O THE FRICK CO                          

  PO BOX 283                              (If applicable:) 

  ST LOUIS        63166 

 $327.00 QTR/YR=41998    STATE CODE=22      UPDATE OF PRIOR ALERT 

  NNNN/ 

A heading which reads:

• “S2 - STATE/SSI EARNED INCOME DISCREPANCY”; and

• The run date;

NOTE: If the OCSE database did not include a surname for the employee, the alert will have at the top the statement “NOTICE: THIS ALERT WAS GENERATED WITHOUT A SURNAME MATCH” .

The third line of the alert shows:

• The FO code;

• The housed-under number;

• The recipient's surname;

• SSN of the recipient;

• The wage earner's name on the State/D.C./Federal agency record (surname and initial); and

• The type of person (SM 01601.430)

The following lines of the alert show:

• The names and addresses of the employers;

• The amount of wages reported to the State/D.C. by the employer (or paid by the Federal Agency);

• The quarter and year for which the wages were reported to the State/D.C. (or paid by the Federal Agency);

• The code of the State/D.C. reporting the wages; “FA” if the employer is a Federal Agency

• A note indicating whether a prior alert is pending.

The alert displays the wages each employer reports. The first position of the “quarter” code indicates the calendar quarter of the wage report:

1. = January through March;

2. = April through June;

3. = July through September; and

4. = October through December.

The last four positions of the “quarter” code indicate the century and year of the earnings.

E. Procedure - No Development/Limited Development/Full Development

1. When Development Is Not Required

You are not required to do any development for a wage alert if the earned income reported on the alert could not affect SSI eligibility or payment. You may delete the diary without making any contact to verify the amount of income or when it was received. In this case, do not transmit the earned income to the SSR.

An example of this is when the earned income is for an ineligible parent, but the deeming allocations for ineligible children in the household would mean there could not be “deemed income” to the eligible child even if all the earned income were received in one month in the quarter.

2. When You Can Do Limited Development

See SI 02310.007A. for rules for Limited Development.

3. When You Must Do Full Development

If the criteria for “NO DEVELOPMENT” and “LIMITED DEVELOPMENT” do not apply, you must follow the instructions in SI 02310.007B. for FULL DEVELOPMENT.

F. Procedures - Coordination With Other Work

1. Redeterminations and Other Posteligibility Activities

Coordinate wage match development with scheduled FO redeterminations or other pending posteligibility activity (e.g., other interface alerts, continuing disability review, representative payee accounting).

2. Title II Issues

1. If the wages are for an individual who also receives a title II disability benefit, determine if there is a need for a review of the work activity.

2. If the wages belong to a recipient who does not receive a title II benefit, determine whether the recipient is eligible for title II benefits.

3. Work Incentives

Use this opportunity to inform recipients about work incentives. Emphasize future reporting responsibilities and advise blind/disabled individuals of the SSI work incentive provisions. See SI 02302.006, SI 00820.530 and SI 00870.001 - SI 00870.100.

4. Obtain a Detailed Earnings Query

Obtain a Detailed Earnings Query (DEQY) when working S2 wage alerts during the period March 1 through September 30 of each year. (This requirement runs from March through September, because it is not until March that a majority of wage reports show up on the DEQY, and by September significant wage discrepancies between what is on the DEQY and what is on the SSR will be alerted in the Master Earning File match with the SSR.)

Examine the DEQY to determine if there are employers or wages shown that do not appear on the S2 and are not recorded in MSSICS or on the SSR. If additional employers are identified, take the necessary action to develop earnings. It is not required to document the file with a copy of the DEQY at the time the S2 alert is cleared.

Also, remember that the S2 alert generally shows wages for only one calendar quarter while the DEQY shows wages for the calendar year. Sometimes the S2 and DEQY will show the same employer but the DEQY shows a greater wage amount indicating that the recipient worked in another quarter(s) of the year. Make sure that wage development covers the entire prior year.

G. Procedures - Clearance

1. Wage Data

See SI 00820.100 - SI 00820.160

The wage data represent the amount received in a quarter. Obtain a monthly amount for SSI purposes if the wages constitute countable income.

2. Clear the Diary

1. Documentation — MSSICS -- Individual Has Earned Income

   • Document wage development on the IWAG screen (MSOM MSSICS 016.003 );

   • Document sheltered workshop payment development on the IWAG screen (MSOM MSSICS 016.003 );

   • Document sick pay development on the ISPE screen (MSOM MSSICS 016.002 ).

   • Record the source and amount of wages/sick pay on IWAG/ISPE screens and document proof used on a DROC or EVID screen per GN 00301.286D.2.

2. Documentation — non-MSSICS -- Individual Has Earned Income
   See SI 00820.100 - SI 00820.160.

3. Diary Clearance Input

   • MSSICS - Complete the DSWM screen (MSOM MSSICS 022.016 ) and build transaction SSR.

   • Non-MSSICS - Transmit earned income to the SSR. (See SM 01305.101.)

     Transmit diary deletion to the SSR via SSA-1719B input. (See SM 01301.220.)

H. References

See http://nynet2.ny.ssa.gov/ssi_alerts/ to get replacement alerts.

Administrative Finality, SI 02310.005C.5.