The term “mass loss” describes situations when all checks in a specific geographic location or zip code are undeliverable because they are permanently lost, stolen or otherwise unavailable for delivery. A mass loss of checks can occur in the following situations:

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  Mail is destroyed or damaged (e.g., postal truck fire);

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  Mail is stolen from a distribution box or mail truck; or

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  Mail never arrived at a postal station and the United States Postal Service (USPS), the Department of the Treasury (Treasury), and SSA cannot locate the misplaced mail.

Mass loss instructions do not apply to checks the USPS holds due to natural disasters. See GN 02406.705B and GN 00410.020C.

Field Offices (FO), Teleservice Centers (TSC), Processing Centers (PC), or Regional Offices (RO) generally become aware of a potential mass loss situation when a pattern of nonreceipt allegations develops within specific geographical zip codes. Determining mass loss often begins with beneficiaries or recipients contacting SSA with nonreceipt allegations. The FOs inform the ROs that a pattern of missing checks has occurred. (FOs may communicate the affected SSNs, zip codes, check dates, beneficiary names, etc.) The RO PDAS Coordinator receives missing check information directly from the FOs. The RO PDAS Coordinator reports the missing checks to the Central Office (CO) PDAS Coordinator in the Mail and Postal Policy Branch (MPPB).

Once MPPB receives reports of missing checks from the ROs, the CO PDAS Coordinator passes the missing check information to the designated USPS PDAS representative. The affected RO PDAS coordinator, the CO PDAS coordinator, and the designated USPS PDAS representative will remain in communication until the checks are:

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  located;

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  determined stolen;

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  destroyed; or

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  determined undeliverable.

MPPB notifies the Director of the Office of Payment and Recovery Policy (OPRP) in the Office of Financial Policy and Operations (OFPO) if the delayed checks are:

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  for an entire zip code or multiple zip codes;

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  from one or more Regional Financial Centers (RFC); and

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  cannot be located by USPS.

OPRP then determines if we must implement a CO Systems Replacement mass loss. For information on CO mass loss input, see GN 02406.705D.2. If the agency decides not to implement a CO Systems Replacement mass loss, OPRP informs the Office of Public Service and Operations Support (OPSOS) to apply the mass loss nonreceipt input procedures found in GN 02406.705D.1.

Each RO PDAS coordinator contacts the MPPB at least once every 6 months. FO managers contact the local postmasters at least once a year. RO coordinators, FO managers, and USPS postmasters must have a general knowledge of the payment delivery and replacement process for SSA checks. Observation of the following points helps to avoid potential delays and potential future mass loss situations:

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  USPS delivers Title XVI checks on the first of every month.

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  USPS delivers Title II checks on the third of every month and the second, third, and fourth Wednesdays of every month.

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  If the regularly scheduled delivery date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, USPS delivers the checks the day before. The check envelope displays the date of delivery.

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  Trays of checks arrive at the post office a day or two before the scheduled delivery date. The postmaster informs the local servicing FO manager of any abnormal conditions.

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  The post office designates an individual to verify that the checks arrived on time.

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  If the checks did not arrive on time, the local post office immediately begins to trace the checks through the USPS distribution system. The postmaster informs their RO PDAS representative and the FO manager about the situation and provides the FO manager the USPS contact information.

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  The FO manager informs USPS employees via the postmaster that beneficiaries and recipients must report nonreceipt of checks to SSA.

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  GN 02406.125 Transmitting Reports of Non-receipt, Loss, Theft, or Destruction – Title II, Title XVI Recurring Checks and PMA Checks— Normal and Dire Need Situations

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  GN 02406.705 Determination for Mass Loss of Checks.

  GN 02406.710 Non-receipt Interviews for Mass Loss of Checks

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  GN 02406.715 Systems Processing of Mass Loss

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  GN 00410.020 Processing Payment Actions in Disasters