When a claimant files a request for Appeals Council review with an FO, the systems inputs made by the FO employees will automatically establish a case in the Appeals Review Processing System (ARPS). The new case will appear in ARPS in “New Case” (NWCA) status. The Office of Appellate Operations (OAO) branch will then proceed to process the appeal using OAO Practices and Applications (PANDA) section 1.1.

When the FO cannot automatically establish a case, it will forward the request for review to OAO via fax or email. When OAO receives the request for review, OAO staff will establish (or re-establish) the case in ARPS. OAO staff will also associate the request for review with the claim(s) file.

When OAO receives a request for review directly by mail or fax, OAO staff will date stamp the document, make the necessary systems inputs, and establish the case in ARPS. See OAO PANDA section 1.1. OAO staff will also associate the request for review with the claim(s) file.

If the claimant files a request for review with any other Social Security Administration component (e.g., teleservice center, processing center, or hearing office), the component will acknowledge receipt and forward the request to OAO via fax or email (see subsection A, NOTE 2, above). OAO staff will associate the request for review with the claim(s) file.