Match the claimant’s job information in forms and evidence with:
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The yearly earnings listed on the query, or
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The earnings from each employer for the year within the relevant work period, see
DI 25001.001A.64.
If you can match the claimant’s work to the earnings for a year, no additional development
is necessary.
You must develop job information for any year that has an earnings level above the
substantial gainful activity (SGA) level for one month for which there is no corresponding
job information since individuals can learn unskilled work in 30 days or less.
If the earnings for a year are not at or above the yearly SGA level, then you must:
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Determine how many months the claimant worked at the job and
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Use the monthly SGA chart to determine whether the job was SGA.
If there are earnings for years that the claimant did not list a job, then you must:
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•
Reasonably match the earnings to a job listed by the claimant for another year, or
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•
Contact the claimant to obtain additional information about work in those years.
EXAMPLE: The claimant indicates he worked from 2001-2002 earning $15,000 each year. If the
query shows the claimant worked from 2000 to 2001 earning $15,000 each year you may
conclude that the claimant described this work but remembered the years worked incorrectly.
For more information on countable earnings for nonblind employees, see DI 25001.001A.82.