1. a. 

   If a DO initiated the claim and no proof of contributory periods of coverage was included or photocopies of the evidence were submitted, assume that the proofs are not available or if photocopies were submitted that the claimant would not part with the originals. The German agency will contact the claimant for the evidence they need.

2. b. 

   If the claim was not initiated in a DO, request the original evidence of contributory coverage for periods of covered German employment listed on Forms D/USA 1, D/USA 2 or D/USA 8. The evidence could be insurance cards, credit certificates, contribution certificates, statement or records.

   Note: Prepare certified photocopies of original work documents for the totalization folder and send the originals to the German agency. Do not prepare photocopies of photocopies. In either case, do not send Germany coverage documents to CTS.

A substitute period is one in which the NH, due to circumstances beyond his/ her control, was not able to make continuous contributions. The German agency uses these periods to determine eligibility and benefit amount. The U.S. will use these to compute a pro rata PIA. Evidence of substitute periods could be certificates of service, military pay book, draft notices, discharge certificates, certificates for interned persons or prisoners of war. The German agency will accept certified phtocopies of this type of evidence. DO NOT PREPARE PHOTOCOPIES OF PHOTOCOPIES. DO NOT SEND THESE DOCUMENTS TO CTS.

An excused period of German coverage is one in which the NH did not pay contributions because of health or economic reasons. Obtain evidence of excused periods if the claimant has not limited his/her application to U.S. benefits. The U.S. will not use periods of excused German coverage.

Evidence of excused periods could be a midwife's or a physician's certificate, labor office certificates for persons where work was interrupted by illness, pregnancy or unemployment; school certificates, diplomas and graduate degrees. German agencies will accept certified photocopies of this evidence. DO NOT PREPARE PHOTOCOPIES OF PHOTOCOPIES. DO NOT SEND THESE DOCUMENTS TO CTS.

If an applicant applies for benefits from the GERMAN MINER'S PENSION INSURANCE, that agency will consider quarters of coverage earned by the NH in U.S. underground mines. These are the only U.S. quarters of coverage that the agency will consider. To identify the NH's U.S. underground mine employment, the claimant must submit a certificate from the employer which shows the dates of each period the NH worked in an underground mine, and the kind of material mined; e.g., hard coal, ore, gypsum, graphite, etc.

Forward the original employer's certificates to the German miner's agency and prepare certified copies for the totalization folder. DO NOT PREPARE PHOTOCOPIES OF PHOTOCOPIES. DO NOT SEND THESE DOCUMENTS TO CTS.