Social Security

Retention Date: 04/15/2027

Summary of Changes:

· Updated language throughout to reflect the addition of states in the Southeast region to the limited rollout.
· Minor language changes throughout to provide clarity.
· Section D.2.f - Added a second bullet regarding payee appointments.

A. Purpose
This Emergency Message (EM) provides guidance for Field Office (FO), Field Office Support Unit (FOSU), and Workload Support Unit (WSU) technicians to follow when scheduling phone appointments in Appointment Scheduling Calendar (ASC).
This EM also provides notification of the expansion of the ASC limited rollout to Alabama (AL), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Kentucky (KY), Mississippi (MS), North Carolina (NC) and South Carolina (SC). Refer to the ASC map for a detailed view of included states and territories.
Teleservice Center Representatives (TSC) and those supporting the TSC should refer to OB 26-018 REV 2
NOTE: The intent of this EM is to supplement training materials available in the References section of this EM and the ASC and WLM Employee Resources SharePoint site.

B. Background
ASC is a web-based appointment system used by customers and technicians to schedule, reschedule, modify, and cancel Initial Claim (IC) phone appointments. On April 27, 2026, technicians began scheduling IC phone appointments in ASC for customers who reside in Nevada (NV) and Tennessee (TN).
On August 31, 2026, ASC expanded beyond NV and TN, and technicians began scheduling IC phone appointments in ASC for customers who reside in OH, NJ, and the entire Southwest Region excluding Guam and Northern Mariana Islands. Beginning October 17, 2026, technicians will begin scheduling IC phone appointments in ASC for customers who reside in any of the prior states plus any of the states listed in Section A.
NOTE: For this expanded limited rollout, ASC will establish appointments and send them to Workload Management (WLM) for distribution exclusively for customers who reside in the included states and territories.
For more information about the ASC release, refer to MSS26-052 OTH REV 3
For more information about WLM, refer to EM-26017 REV 2
The processes and procedures for in-office IC appointments, video appointments, international appointments, Enumeration, Post-Entitlement (PE) appointments, walk-in services, and appeals are unchanged.
IMPORTANT: ASC, the Enhanced Lead and Appointment System (eLAS), and the Enterprise Scheduling System (ESS), are all available through Appointment Scheduling by selecting the appropriate appointment type (Initial Claims, Post-Entitlement or Enumeration, or International) shown below. Once a topic is selected, technicians will be guided to the appropriate scheduling system.



C. Customer Self-Scheduling
Customers who visit SSA.gov and express interest in filing for benefits are guided through a series of questions to determine the type of benefit for which they may qualify. Based on the customer’s responses, they will have the ability to self-schedule an appointment through ASC.
NOTE: Customers are not required to have a my Social Security account to self-schedule an appointment. However, prior to self-scheduling an appointment, customers must successfully credential through Login.gov or ID.me and consent to electronic messaging.
Once the customer reaches the appointment scheduling pages, they will not be able to modify the type of benefit(s) for which they are applying. On the last self-scheduling page, customers will be asked to review information entered and to read and acknowledge the protective filing statement, which provides closeout language. No closeout notices will be mailed. Any subsequent electronic messages will go to the individual scheduling the appointment.

D. Technician-Assisted Scheduling

1. When to Schedule in ASC
Technicians will schedule IC phone appointments in ASC for customers who reside in AL, AR, AS, AZ, CA, FL, GA, HI, KY, LA, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NV, OH, OK, SC, TN, and TX.
There are situations in which technicians must continue to use eLAS. These situations include:
· All international appointments
· IC in-office and video appointments
· IC phone for a customer who does not reside in a state or territory included in the rollout
· Certain customers in AS
o Refer to note in Section D.2.h for special scheduling considerations for customers who reside in AS.
2. Scheduling an Appointment
When a customer contacts SSA to schedule an appointment for an IC, the Initial Claim tab on the Appointment Scheduling homepage will guide the technician through questions to determine the applicable scheduling system.
For customers who reside in any of the included states and territories in Section D.1, follow the instructions below.
NOTE: To support customers who choose to seek services online, inform and educate customers of the benefits of creating a my Social Security account, where they have access to over 40 fully digital services available 24/7. Direct the customer to use SSA’s online options (e.g., iClaim, Universal Benefit Application (UBA), etc.), using Online Services | SSA as a guide to available services, prior to the appointment. Refer to AM-26008 REV.
The instructions below are an overview of the scheduling process. For a step-by-step, detailed
view, including screenshots, refer to the ASC Technician User Guide on the ASC and WLM Employee Resources SharePoint site.

a. Prior to scheduling an appointment, verify the customer’s identity in accordance with established agency procedures. Refer to GN 00203.020.
b. Follow existing procedures to check available records to determine if a claim, appointment, or protective filing already exists.
· This includes checking the Internet query, eLAS, Consolidated Claims Experience (CCE), Modernized Claim System (MCS) etc.
· If there is a protective filing that has not expired and you are creating a new appointment in ASC, document the protective filing date in ASC remarks.
c. To access ASC, use either Technician Experience Dashboard (TED) after completing the Customer Verification page and selecting “+Add Task” and “Appointment Scheduling” or through “External Links” via the clipboard icon located on the Technician’s Dashboard. Technicians can also access Appointment Scheduling via iMAIN, or Kitchen Sink.
d. Under Initial Claims, select “Create or Update an Appointment”.

e. Select the state or territory the customer resides in.
f. Select whether the appointment will be a phone or in-office interview.
· Refer to GN 00203.003 for situations that may require an in-office appointment.
· Continue to follow GN 00502.113 and GN 00502.030 when determining if a payee applicant interview or capability determination requires a face-to-face interview. For payee applicants, ASC can be included in the WSU and Central Processing exclusions to face-to-face if all other criteria are met.
g. Read the Privacy Act Statement language on the page and confirm that you have read it to the customer.
h. Enter the customer’s Social Security Number (SSN), select “Search” and confirm the results belong to the intended customer.
NOTE: ASC will display future pending appointments and will not display past appointments. Past and future ASC appointments are displayed in TED within the Customer History tab, located in the Customer Composite.
· If the customer already has an appointment, refer to Section E.
· If the customer does not have an appointment, select “Create Appointment”.

IMPORTANT: Due to time zone differences and ASC appointment availability, customers in AS may be scheduled in ASC if a suitable appointment is available. If additional scheduling options are needed, technicians can schedule an appointment in eLAS.
Follow GN 00203.002 to identify and select the correct claim type(s) when scheduling appointments. Technicians should select all applicable claim types to be addressed during the appointment.
i. Once the appointment date and time are confirmed, complete the “Communication Preferences” page.
NOTE: The Appointment Phone Number and Consent to Messaging fields are mandatory. If a customer does not consent to receive electronic messaging, they will not receive messages about their appointment and will not be able to reschedule or cancel their appointment online.

j. If a customer has consented to electronic messaging, ask the customer if they would like to create a One-Time Passcode (OTP) to reschedule or cancel their appointment online. This code must be 4-6 numbers and does not expire until it is either used or the appointment date passes. The OTP is only available for technician assisted scheduling.

· Encourage the customer to maintain the OTP in a safe place. An OTP is required the first time a customer reschedules or cancels an appointment online. For any subsequent changes, an OTP is not needed.
k. Select the claimant’s language preference.
· The default language is English.
l. If the appointment is for a Title II benefit, ask if there is an eligible spouse or child(ren) under the age of 18, age 18-19 and attending secondary school full-time, or disabled before age 22.
· If the customer indicates there is an eligible spouse or child(ren) involved, ask if they intend to file for benefits for them.
· If yes, refer to instructions in D.3 below for additional documentation requirements.
m. Enter Remarks for the appointment, as applicable.
n. Review the appointment details with the customer for accuracy and read the protective filing and closeout information on the page. Once complete, confirm “I have read the Protective Filing Statement to the caller” and select “Submit”.
IMPORTANT: Refer to Section E for situations where the protective filing or close-out date may be different than what is displayed.

3. Scheduling Multiple Appointments (family claims)
If a customer calls and wants to schedule an appointment for multiple family members, first ensure that there is an intent to file at the time of the appointment. If a customer wants to schedule for several family members that may take an extended period, confirm the customer intends to complete these appointments during the same interview. Refer to GN 00204.010 for more information.

a. Title II – Eligible Spouse and Children
If there is intent to file, schedule the appointment under one individual’s SSN and place remarks about the intent to file for the other members. Include the following information about each of the other family members in the “Remarks” of the appointment:
· Name
· SSN
· Relationship to Number Holder (NH)
Example:

NOTE: If the appointment includes an eligible spouse, inform the customer that a protective filing for the spouse is recorded, but the spouse or proper applicant for the spouse must file the application. There are no changes to our policies for proper applicant or when to take an auxiliary claim. Refer to GN 00204.003 for more information.
When reading the closeout language, explain to the customer that this closeout pertains to all individuals named on the appointment.
IMPORTANT: For disability (DIB) appointments, follow the same process to ask the NH for intent to file for any auxiliaries (i.e., eligible spouse, child(ren)) at the time of scheduling an appointment and list the name, SSN, relationship to NH, and protective filing date in the “Remarks” of the appointment. However, do not provide the closeout for DIB auxiliaries as their application will be deferred until the NH’s disability claim is allowed at any level of adjudication (e.g., initial, reconsideration, or hearing). For more information refer to DI 11010.025C and DI 11010.030.

NOTE: If the additional family members have an intent to file but are not available for the appointment or do not file at the time of the appointment for other reasons, offer to schedule the appointment in ASC and in remarks, document the original protective filing date. If the family member does not want an appointment, add remarks to TED including the family member’s name, SSN, already established protective filing date, if applicable, and decision not to schedule an appointment.

b. Title XVI - Family Claims
When someone calls and expresses intent to file for multiple potential Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applicants (e.g., family members in the same household) who intend to file at the same time, generally, the technician will set separate appointments for each SSI applicant to create a protective filing record. ASC does not currently have the ability to group family claims together. Since the appointments will likely be routed to different technicians in different FOs, do not schedule the appointments sequentially. Instead, schedule the appointments on different days with a remark that includes the other family members’ name and SSN. The technician taking the earliest appointment will take all associated claims during the scheduled time and cancel the subsequent appointments. Refer to EM 26017 REV2 for actions technicians should take at the time of the appointment.

EXCEPTION For SSI Aged (SSIAI) claim types where both members of an aged couple are filing, follow the instructions in D.3.a, above.

4. After Scheduling the Appointment
a. SSA may call 30 minutes before or after the scheduled time. Inform the customer of the scheduled appointment and the 30-minute window within which we may contact them.
b. Review the Next Steps with the customer, based on the information on the page, including:
i. Preparing for the appointment
· Inform the customer of the types of evidence that might be required for the appointment, as applicable.
· Offer to send information about filing online and preparing for the appointment through Info Sender (refer to MSS26-023 OTH) or eMailer.
· For appointments for an SSI Disabled Child (SSIDC), direct the customer to complete the i3820 prior to their appointment.
ii. How to cancel or reschedule the appointment.
iii. Reminders about protective filing and closeout dates.
NOTE: If a customer has consented to receive electronic messaging, they will receive an email and/or text with the date and time of the appointment. This message includes a link to the appointment information details, including closeout language, after the customer successfully credentials through Login.gov or ID.me and enters the OTP. If a customer has not consented to receive electronic messaging, the closeout information will not be stored or mailed to the customer. The protective filing and closeout receipt date will be stored in eLAS, as appropriate.

E. Updating, Rescheduling, and Cancelling Appointments
The ASC will only show future pending appointments. If a customer contacts SSA for an IC and there is no appointment, follow instructions in Section D.
Appointment Scheduling assists with directing the technician to the proper scheduling system. If a customer scheduled in ASC needs to reschedule to eLAS (e.g. customer has moved from an included state or to an excluded state), the technician must first determine the state of the original appointment to access the appointment in ASC.
IMPORTANT: Only the claimant, proper applicant, or the person who scheduled the appointment can update an existing appointment. Prior to updating, rescheduling, or cancelling the appointment, the technician must verify the identity of the customer to ensure that they are either the claimant, proper applicant, or the person who originally scheduled the appointment.

1. Updating an Appointment
If a customer contacts SSA to update their appointment (e.g., add another claim type for the same title or a different title to an existing appointment, update a phone number, etc.):
a. Follow the instructions in Section D.2. a-f to locate the appointment.
b. Select “View” from the Search Results page.
c. Select “Update” in the appropriate section.
i. Enter the updated information and select “Done”.
d. If the customer requests adding another claim type for the same title (e.g., Title II), no further action is needed to preserve the protective filing date for that title of benefits, as it was already recorded and closed out when the original appointment was made.
e. If the customer requests adding another claim type for a different title (e.g., existing appointment is Title II and customer now wishes to file for Title XVI), annotate remarks with the date the new intent to file is received for the new title of benefit.
f. Confirm the updated information is correct.
g. Select “Submit”.
i. The appointment updates will not be saved if “Submit” is not selected.
h. Follow steps in Section D.4.
2. Rescheduling an Appointment
Follow the instructions below when rescheduling appointments.
a. Follow instructions in Section D.2. a-f to locate appointment.
b. Select “View” from the Search Results page.
c. Under Appointment Details, select “Reschedule Appointment”.
d. Select new date and/or time. Make every effort to reschedule the appointment prior to the end of the closeout period.
e. Confirm the information is correct on the Appointment Details page and remind the customer of the protective filing and closeout information on the page.
f. Select “Submit”
i. The appointment updates will not be saved if “Submit” is not selected.
g. Follow steps in Section D.4.
3. Cancelling Appointments
Follow the instructions below when cancelling appointments.
a. Follow instructions in Section D.2. a-f to locate appointment.
b. On the Appointment Details page, click “Cancel Appointment” and confirm the customer wishes to cancel.
c. Explain to the customer that they will not receive confirmation of the cancellation.
d. If the appointment has auxiliaries listed in the remarks, ensure the remarks are in TED for the auxiliaries, including the protective filing date.
e. Select “Close”.

NOTE: Once the appointment is cancelled, it will no longer be viewable in ASC and immediately opens the appointment slot to the next customer. The protective filing date will be viewable in eLAS.
F. Special Claims Situations
When a caller requires expedited or special handling per policy (e.g., Terminal Illness (TERI), Military Casualty/Wounded Warrior, 100% Permanent and Total Disability) and there are no appointments available within 5 days, FO technicians should handle appointments locally and follow existing procedures. Refer to DI 11005.601, DI 11005.006, and DI 11005.007.
G. Impact to iClaims
If an appointment is present in ASC when the claimant files an application via iClaim, the system will not detect the appointment to offer the option to cancel or keep the appointment as outlined in GN 00204.055D.3.
Technicians should thoroughly review all scheduling systems when reviewing iClaims to ensure the correct protective filing date is used and all pending appointments are addressed. Refer to GN 01070.781D for iClaims with appointments procedures.
H. Unscheduled Protective Filings in eLAS
ASC will alleviate the need to create a protective filing record using the unscheduled leads feature in eLAS in most circumstances, due to increased appointment availability. However, offices must continue to review the Unscheduled Leads listing in the Workload Action Center (WAC) on a regular basis to ensure these claimants receive either a scheduled appointment or a closeout notice. ASC creates a protective filing record in eLAS when the appointment is scheduled. Technicians should not create a separate protective filing record in eLAS if scheduling an appointment in ASC. If a technician accidentally creates a duplicate protective filing record (e.g. realizes after the record is established that the appointment should be scheduled in ASC), the technician should schedule the appointment in ASC and notify management immediately to delete the duplicate eLAS record.
IMPORTANT: The technician must speak to the customer prior to scheduling in the ASC, as the system will not send paper appointment confirmation or closeout notices.

Direct all program and technical related questions to your management.
References
GN 00203.003 Face to Face Contact with Claimants
GN 00204.003 Proper Applicant
GN 00204.010 Protective Writings for Title II and Title XVI
GN 00502.113 Interviewing the Payee Applicant
GN 00203.020 Identity of Claimants
GN 00204.055. Internet Claim (iClaim) Application
GN 00502.030 Developing Lay Evidence of Capability
GN 01070.781 Field Office (FO) and Workload Support Unit (WSU) on Claims Processing Coordination
DI 11005.007 Field Office (FO) Instructions for Identifying Claims, Applicable Terms and Scheduling Appointments for Claimants with a Veterans Affairs 100 Percent Permanent and Total (VAPT) Disability Compensation Rating.
DI 11005.601 The Disability Interview – Identifying Terminal Illness (TERI) Cases
DI 11010.025 Guidelines for Deferral of Non-Medical Development.
DI 11010.030 Field Office (FO) Operating Instructions for Deferred Title II Initial Claims
MSS26-023 OTH Technician Experience Dashboard (TED) Release 19 Enhancements
MSS26-052 OTH REV 3 Appointment Scheduling Calendar – Limited Rollout
OB 26-018 REV Appointment Scheduling Calendar – Limited Rollout – Expansion
EM-26017 REV2 Workload Management – Limited Rollout – Expansion
ASC and WLM Employee Resources SharePoint Site
ApPages - Appointment Scheduling Calendar (ASC)
Online Services | SSA
Technician Experience Dashboard
Technician Experience Dashboard (TED) User Guide - Home
iMAIN
AM-26008 REV my Social Security Account Registration Information