1

Does the individual have acceptable pay stubs for some or all of the period being verified? For information that must be shown on a pay stub for us to consider it acceptable evidence of wages, see the first bullet in SI 00820.130A.1.

If yes, go to Step 2.

If no, go to Step 7.

2

Were any wages deferred or set aside during the period covered by the pay stubs rather than paid on the normal payment date? For more information regarding wage advances and deferred wages, see SI 00820.115.

If yes, go to Step 3.

If no, go to Step 4.

3

Post and document deferred wages per SI 00820.115C.2. When posting wages to the SSI Claims system Wages page, complete the employer identification number (EIN) field when EIN information is available (e.g., listed on the wage evidence, available on the Detailed Earnings Query, etc.).

Go to Step 5.

4

Use SSI Monthly Wage Verification (SSIMWV) intranet application to:

input and document a wage report submitted with pay stubs. SSIMWV will automate the wage input to the SSI Claims system Wages page or (for non-SSI Claims system cases) to the SSR via the 1719(b) (SSI Post-Eligibility Input);

print and issue a work report receipt via SSIMWV and archive it to the Online Retrieval System (ORS) to serve as documentation of wages. For in-person and telephone reports, generate a receipt immediately, and give or mail to the reporter;

establish the work report for mailed, faxed, or dropped off reports in the FO, and mail the receipt to the reporter within 5 days of receipt of the information. For establishing work reports in eWork see DI 13010.020.

If available, complete the employer identification number (EIN) field in SSIMWV and on the Wages page in the SSI Claims System.

No other action is necessary to document the report.

IMPORTANT: If processing multiple months of pay stubs in SSIMWV, you must issue a separate work report receipt for each month to meet the documentation requirements.

Was SSIMWV used to input all wages and document the wage report(s)?

If yes, ,go to Step 14

If no, go to Step 5.

5

Do the pay stubs cover earnings for the entire period that you are verifying? Or, if not, can you determine the wages attributable to the missing pay stub(s) by other evidence (e.g., year-to-date totals)?

If yes, go to Step 6.

If no, go to Step 7.

6

For documenting wages based on pay stubs, follow the procedures in SI 00820.130C.1.

Post the wages when received using the SSI Claims system Wages page or a 1719(b) (SSI Post-Eligibility Input).

Annotate the remarks of the SSI Claims system Wages page or a Report of Contact with the source of verification.

Issue a receipt to the reporter through the Document Processing System (DPS) via the SSA-L724 (Work Report Receipt) or by using eWork. See DI 13010.020 for instructions on using eWork to document work reports and issue receipts.

Go to Step 14.

7

Is the employer registered with an SSA-approved wage verification company?

If yes, follow the procedures to obtain and document wage verification SI 00820.147 and

.

If no, go to step 8.

8

Does the individual have evidence showing annual wage amounts, such as W-2 forms or Federal or State income tax forms? Is there a Master Earnings File (MEF)?

OR

Is quarterly wage information displayed in the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), Interstate Benefits Inquiry (IBIQ), or SSA Access to State Records Online (SASRO)?

If yes,

Confirm with the worker the months worked and, for third-party sources, whether they agree with the wage information on the query.

Divide the annual or quarterly amount by the number of alleged months worked, to arrive at a “verified” wage amount to post for each month.

On an Evidence Screen (EVID), signed statement or Report of Contact , document:

• •

  the annual or quarterly wage amounts and the source of the evidence;

• •

  the individual’s allegation of the number of months worked: and

• •

  whether the worker agrees with the wage information when the evidence is from third-party sources like NDNH.

Lock documentation pages or store signed statements in the Evidence Portal.

NOTE: Posting the alleged months worked to the SSI Claims system Wages page alone is insufficient documentation. You must also record the allegation, wage amounts, and source on a signed statement, Report of Contact, SSA-795, or SSA-5002 to satisfy documentation requirements. For evidence from third-party sources, you must document that the worker agrees with the information that is being used to verify wages. If the worker does not agree with the third-party lead, you must develop other wage evidence. See SI 00820.130C.3 for more information about documenting evidence from secondary sources.

Proceed to Step 14.

If no, go to Step 9.

9

Does the person have wage information recorded in the Internet Ticket Operations Provider Support System (iTOPSS)? iTOPSS contains pay stub-level wage information for Ticket to Work users. The wage data is provided by employment networks and input by Ticket Program Managers. See SI 00820.130C.3 for more information.

If yes:

Compute and record monthly wages on the SSI Claims system wages page or a 1719(b) (SSI Post-Eligibility Input).

On a signed statement, or Report of Contact:

• •

  confirm that the worker agrees with the wage information provided;

• •

  document iTOPSS as the evidence source and the steps taken to obtain preferred evidence;

Lock documentation pages or store signed statements in the Evidence Portal.

Proceed to Step 14.

If no or if iTOPSS information is incomplete or inconsistent, go to Step 10.

10

Phone the employer to verify wages. Request information regarding when wages were paid, not earned. See SI 00810.030.

If the employer verifies wages and no deferred wages are involved,

post the wages when received, and

document the wage information obtained from the employer on a Report of Contact and lock it. Include:

• •

  the date of the call;

• •

  employer name;

• •

  the contact person’s name, title, and telephone number;

• •

  gross wages paid;

• •

  the pay date (if known);

• •

  time period covered by the oral statement;

• •

  if applicable, any deductions or exclusions from gross wages (e.g., cafeteria plans, certain child support garnishments, etc.)

In non SSI Claims system situations, document this information on an SSA-5002 (Report of Contact) and store it in the Evidence Portal.

If the employer verifies wages and deferred wages are involved,

post deferred wages per SI 00820.115B.2.,

post the remainder of wages when received, and

document the verified deferred wages on EVID, or on a Report of Contact page and lock it; or, in non-SSI Claims system situations, document the deferred wages and the employer contact information (i.e., date, contact person’s name, title, and telephone number) on an SSA-5002 and store it in the Evidence Portal.

If the employer will not provide wage verification and refers you to a non-SSA approved wage verification company for wage information, go to Step 12.

If the employer verifies wages, but you determine that an oral statement is insufficient, go to Step 11.

If the employer is uncooperative, or you cannot reach the employer by phone, go to Step 11.

11

Send the employer an SSA-L4201-BK (Letter to Employer Requesting Wage Information).

If the employer verifies wages and no deferred wages are involved,

post wages when received,

document SSA-L4201-BK evidence on EVID or on a Report of Contact and lock it, or in non SSI Claims system situations, store the SSA-L4201-BK in the Evidence Portal

Proceed to Step 14.

If the employer verifies wages and deferred wages are involved,

post deferred wages per SI 00820.115C,

charge the remainder of wages when received,

document the information extracted from the SSA-L4201-BK on EVID, a Report of Contact and lock it or, store the SSA-L4201-BK in the Evidence Portal.

Proceed to Step 14.

If the employer will not provide wage verification and refers you to a non-SSA approved wage verification company for wage information, go to Step 12.

If the employer is uncooperative or cannot be located, go to Step 13.

12

Is the wage verification available from a non-SSA approved wage verification company?

If yes, request that the worker obtain the wage verification from the non-approved company. Accept the wage verification from the non-SSA approved wage verification company only when provided by the individual.

Important: Do not access or create accounts on non-approved wage verification company websites to obtain wage verifications or enter any personal or claimant information onto the site.

Proceed to Step 14.

If no, go to Step 13.

13

Obtain the individual's allegation of the amount and frequency of wages.

NOTE: If the only evidence is an individual's allegation of annual wages, divide the annual wage amount by the number of months of alleged work to arrive at a “verified” wage amount to post for each of those months.

Post the verified wages as verified in this step. Code the wage amount with “9” verification indicator.

Record the individual's statement on either a signed Person Statement (SSA-795) or Report of Contact page (SSA-5002). Include the following:

• •

  gross amount, frequency, and duration of wages; and

• •

  the steps taken to obtain acceptable primary and secondary evidence, and why they were unsuccessful.

Lock documentation pages or store signed SSA-795 form statements in the Evidence Portal. For instructions on electronic evidence documentation and retention, see GN 00301.286.

Proceed to Step 14.

14

Does the individual have impairment-related work expenses (IRWE), blind work expenses (BWE), or other earned income exclusions that apply during the period that you are developing?

If yes, go to Step 15.

If no, STOP.