The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) signed
a memorandum of understanding in March 2004 that allows SSA employees to obtain online
queries of wage and unemployment compensation data for all States that have entered
into data sharing agreements with SSA. The information is stored in the Interstate
Benefit InQuiry (IBIQ) system, which was developed by DOL and State unemployment insurance
(UI) agencies as a tool for sharing wage and unemployment data between States. Authorized
SSA employees may obtain IBIQs for both Title II and Title XVI cases, as needed to
conduct SSA business (e.g. for individuals with established MBRs or SSRs).
All authorized SSA employees are required to use the IBIQ system to verify unemployment compensation insurance benefits when
needed. The IBIQ will provide online State UI and wage data for all States that have
entered into an agreement with SSA, not just the State in which the SSA employee works.
IBIQ is accessed through the Data Exchange Query Menu (DXQM) selected from the Master
File Query Menu. MS 05209.000, gives information on how to use this query. UI benefit information obtained
through IBIQ is considered primary evidence of income.
Claim Web Accounts in Michigan – Individuals receiving unemployment insurance benefits in Michigan can establish
a Claim Web Account (also known as a MARVIN account). One of the features of the account
is that individuals can obtain information about their unemployment benefits, including
a history of payments that have been made for the past three years. If required information
is not available through IBIQ, individuals can submit a printout of their payment
history to SSA. The SSA employee is not permitted to access or assist an individual
in accessing their account. Following is the link to information regarding Claim Web
Accounts: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/uia/UIA_Creating_an_Online_Web_Account_378223_7.pdf
Information obtained from this account is considered primary evidence of income, the
same as a paper letter from the unemployment insurance agency.
Manual Verifications in Michigan
In the event IBIQ data is not available, or does not provide all of the information needed for a specific case,
and the individual is unable to submit the required information from their personal
records, procedures have been established for submission of manual unemployment verification
requests in Michigan. Fax all requests directly to the Grand Rapids UIA office to the attention of Ms. Britton,
at (616) 356-0914. The request should include the first name, last name, and title of the SSA employee
requesting the information.
An SSA-8510 (Authorization to the Social Security Administration to Obtain Information)
containing the individual’s signature should accompany all requests for verification of unemployment benefits.