We use the Notice Language Clearance Process to review and approve new or revised notice language. The clearance process integrates customer feedback and ensures that notices meet agency standards for readability, clarity, appearance, and tone.

First, the notice author coordinates with agency stakeholders to draft the language and create a clearance package for submission using NL 00101.005 and NL 00101.010.

Next, the notice author submits the package with the new language for clearance as outlined in NL 00101.015.

The approval components review the package to ensure the language meets agency standards, policy, and business processes, see subsection D. The package is considered cleared once the notice author receives approval from the approval components.

After receiving approval, the notice author follows the post clearance steps in NL 00101.020.

Anyone (e.g., a product team, component, workgroup) can identify the need for and propose a new notice, new language, or revision to existing notice language.  Some reasons for creating or revising language include:

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  Outreach.

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  A court decision.

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  Customer feedback.

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  A change in law or regulation.

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  A change to a business process or policy.

Avoid duplicating language in our notice systems. Look for existing language that fits your needs before initiating a request to create or revise notice language. You can find much of our existing language in:

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  NL 00700.000

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  The Language Development Facility (LDF)

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  Customer Communications Management (CCM)

Agency stakeholders are the components whose policy area or business processes are affected by the language.

The notice author must identify and include all potential stakeholders. We may use a notice in multiple stages of case processing or a notice may concern a common issue between multiple components. Depending on the issues involved, revised or new notice language may need input from multiple stakeholders.

The person who identifies the need to revise or create language works with the agency stakeholders to determine who will submit the clearance package.  The person submitting the clearance package is the notice author. The notice author collaborates with the stakeholders to draft the new or revised language before submitting the clearance package for approval.

Examples of stakeholders:

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  Office of Disability Policy (ODP): ^ODP Controls – disability and appointed representative related language.

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  Office of Income Security Programs (OISP): ^OISP Controls - non-disability, international, and Medicare related language.

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  Office of Research, Demonstration, and Employment Support: ^ORDES Controls - employment and work incentives for the disabled related language.

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  Office of Program Integrity: ^DCARO OPI Controls - non-standard fraud language and anti-fraud policy and procedures.

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  Office of the Chief Administrative Law Judge: ^DCHO HQ OCALJ Controls - hearings offices and national hearings centers.

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  Office of Appellate Operations: ^DCARO OAO Controls - appeals of hearing decisions to the Appeals Council, representative and fee policy, the processing of fraud redeterminations, and fraud referrals under section 1129 of the Social Security Act. 

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  Office of Budget, Finance, and Management: ^DCBFM Controls - financial policy, including direct deposit-related language.

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  Office of the Chief Information Officer: ^OCIO Controls - information about technical feasibility and notice implementation.

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  Office of Electronic Services and Technology: ||DCO OEST - electronic services, and notices used in field offices, teleservice centers, and processing centers.

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  Office of Customer Service: ||DCO OCS - language affecting the Workload Support Unit (WSU), Processing Center (PC) workloads, and Field Office (FO), and the National 800 Number (N8NN) telephone network customer service channels.

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  Office of Communications: ^DCCOMM Controls - key agency messaging and editorial review for plain language.

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  Office of the General Counsel: ^OGC Controls - legal sufficiency, risk, and privacy compliance, to include the sufficiency and inclusion of any required Privacy Notices (e.g., Privacy Act statement, etc.).

These components give final approval by signing off on the approval sheet provided in NL 00101.010. They must give approval before the changes can be implemented.