Retention Date: 06/20/2025
A. Purpose
This Emergency Message (EM) provides information and guidance regarding the recent strike with Canada’s national mail carrier, Canada Post (CP). Although CP was ordered back to work on December 17, 2024, they are still in the process of negotiating their contract.
B. Background
On November 15, 2024, CP began a labor strike. In response, the United Stated Postal Services (USPS) suspended mail services to and from Canada. Consequently, any SSA correspondence mailed after this date, may be returned as undeliverable. This disruption in mail delivery interfered with several SSA services, including but not limited to:
· Paper check delivery
· Social Security Number card applications
· Earnings records
· Foreign Enforcement Questionnaires (FEQ)
As of December 4, 2024, the USPS held approximately 5,960 paper checks. Technicians should encourage members of the public to enroll and use electronic services such as mySSA and direct deposit. For additional guidance, refer to section E and F of this EM.
C. Benefit Payment – Paper Checks
The monthly SSA Cycle 1 December payments were mailed on November 27, 2024. The USPS did not temporarily suspend mail acceptance to Canada until November 29, 2024. Therefore, all the checks mailed on November 27, 2024, were in the mail stream and have or will be delivered.
The monthly SSA Cycle 1 January payments are schedule to mail on December 30th, 2024. Any monthly checks going to Canada will mail on December 30th.
1. Nonreceipt of Paper Checks
If a beneficiary visits or calls the field office (FO) alleging nonreceipt of their paper check, follow normal nonreceipt procedures in GN 02406.125.
2. Requests to Issue Immediate Payments
Employees are encouraged to be as responsive and flexible as possible when determining the need for replacement funds. Consider payment of an individual’s benefits prior to the actual payment date if they were unable to receive their benefit. If a beneficiary indicates that they need to visit a border office to request an immediate payment, technicians can refer to the Canadian Service Area Directory to locate the servicing office.
D. Social Security Number (SSN) Cards
USPS confirmed that it will return SSN cards mailed to Canadian addresses to the sender until mail service resumes to Canada. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRPTA) of 2004 limits the number of replacement SSN cards an individual may receive to 3 cards per year and 10 cards in a lifetime (RM 10205.400).
Prior to USPS resuming mail service to Canada
If the individual is requesting a replacement SSN card, explain that in most cases a physical card is not necessary if they know the SSN. If the individual is applying for an original SSN or requests the physical replacement card, provide the following options:
1. Mail the SSN Card to the Field Office (FO) for Pick Up
Offer the applicant the opportunity to pick up their SSN card at their local field office. Explain that the office expects receipt of the SSN card within 14 days of processing the application and will retain that SSN card for 90 days. However, local management should reasonably extend this time frame at the applicant’s request. If the applicant requests this option, process the application in Social Security Number Application Processing (SSNAP) using RM 10205.165.A.2, and follow instructions in RM 10201.075.B for handling SSN cards mailed to the FO.
Original SSN Applications
If the applicant is filing for an original SSN in the office, and needs to know the SSN for a service or benefit and expects a delay in picking up the SSN card from the office (e.g., not within commuting distance), request the applicant complete an SSA-795 with:
When completing the SSNAP application, answer “Yes” to the question “Notify office of SSN assigned” on the “Verify and Sign” SSNAP screen. When the office is notified of the assigned SSN, call the individual and verify the individual’s identity using phone procedures in GN 03360.005. After verifying the individual’s identity, provide the SSN over the phone based on the in-office request.
NOTE: Contacting the individual by phone is a temporary process due to the strike.
2. Third-Party Verification
Third-party requests for SSN verifications require the consent of the subject individual. For consent criteria, see GN 03305.003. If a third-party (local or state agency) requires an individual to obtain verification of their SSN, please follow the process outlined in GN 03325.025F.
NOTE: We will not provide SSN Printouts due to the Canada Mail Carrier strike.
After USPS resumes mail service to Canada
Upon resumption of USPS mail services to Canada, return to normal processing for enumeration requests. If contacted by an individual alleging non-receipt of an SSN card, follow instructions RM 1015.060.
E. Direct Deposit
Encourage the beneficiary or representative payee to establish a domestic or Canadian direct deposit account over the telephone. To establish Canadian Direct Deposit, follow GN 02402.300. Treasury determined that beneficiaries living in a foreign country who refuse to participate in electronic payments based on hardship can file for a waiver. For more information see, GN 02402.001.
F. Reminders for Online Services
Technicians are encouraged to remind beneficiaries about the many SSA services that are available through my Social Security. More specifically, beneficiaries may take the following actions via my Social Security:
· File for Retirement or Disability via iClaim
· Check earnings
· Get benefit estimates
· Report Wages
· Check the status of an application or appeal
· View, print, or save a benefit verification letter (Social Security is unable to mail to a foreign address)
· Select Special Notice Options (SNO Notices)
· Access some representative payee services
· View, print, or save replacement SSA-1099/1042S tax statement for any of the past 6 years in which benefits were paid
· Access, download, and print available online notices (such as the Cost-of-Living Adjustment or COLA notices and the Medicare Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount or IRMAA notices.) For a list of my Social Security available online notices, see NL 01201.001.
· Request a replacement Medicare Card
· Change an address (U.S. Citizen only)
Note: If a beneficiary does not have a mySSA account, they need to create an account with ID.me or Login.gov from the https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ link in order to access online services. ID.me is the only account creation option for customers with an international address. For more information, refer to the Office of Earnings & International Operations online services section for guidance to assist customers to create a ID.ME account.
G. Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (FEQ)
SSA will not suspend benefits if beneficiaries or representative payees in Canada who do not respond to the 2024 FEQ.
1. Instructions for WBDOC
By January 22, 2025, provide the Center for Automation, Security and Integrity (CASI) with the SSNs and BICs of non-responder beneficiaries and representative payees.
2. Instructions for CASI
Add the non-responder beneficiaries and representative payees to the responder file. This will ensure benefit payments do not get suspended effective February 2025 solely because the FEQ was not returned.
3. Instructions for OEIO
For non-responder beneficiaries and representative payees, annotate the MBR with the following special message: “Canada mail issue case.”
Direct any FEQ-related questions to the Division of Training and Program Support (DTPS) in OEIO at ||OCO OEIO DTPS ISB Controls.
H. Good Cause for Filing an Appeal After 65-day Period During Mail Service Shutdown
When an appeal filed is more than 65 days after the date the individual receives notice of an initial determination, apply maximum flexibility when deciding whether to extend good cause provisions based on examples in GN 03101.020. Extend good cause during the mail service shutdown, considering unusual, unexpected, or unavoidable circumstances beyond the individual’s control that prevented timely action.
Continue to process appeals per GN 03102.000, GN 03103.000, and GN 03104.000 as appropriate.
Direct all program-related and technical questions to your Regional Office (RO) support staff using vHelp or Program Service Center (PSC) Operations Analysis (OA) staff. RO support staff or PSC OA staff may refer questions, concerns, or problems to their Central Office contacts.
References:
RS 02801.010 - Immediate Payment (IP) Criteria and Process
RM 10205.400 - Limits on Replacement SSN Cards
RM 10205.165 - Mailing Address on the SSN Application
RM 10201.075 - Handling Social Security Number (SSN) Cards Received in the Field Office (FO)
GN 00301.095 - Social Security Administration Certification of Photocopies
GN 03305.003 - Consent Documents
GN 03325.025 - Requests for Numident Records
GN 02402.201 - Background and Policy for Direct Deposit Outside the U.S.
GN 02402.300 - Coding Canadian Bank Data for the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR)
GN 02402.025 - Direct Deposit Post Entitlement Interview
NL 01201.001 - Online Notices