We use the Notice Language Clearance Process to review and approve new or revised notice language. The clearance process 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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  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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  Disability Policy (DP): ^LP DP Controls - disability, appointed representative and medical, vocational, evaluation and process related language.

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  Income Security Programs (ISP): ^LP ISP Controls - supplemental security income (SSI), payment integrity, representative payee, due process, employment and work incentives for people with disabilities related language.

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  Program Policy & Data Exchange (PPDX): ^LP PPDX Controls - applications, electronic services, earnings, enumeration, and Medicare related language.

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  Accounting: ^FM Acct Controls - financial policy, including direct deposit-related language.

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  Program Integrity, Risk, and Fraud Prevention (PIRFP): ^RiskQual PIRFP Controls- non-standard fraud language, anti-fraud policy and procedures.

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  Disability Adjudication (DA): ^DA DIGovernance Controls - all levels of disability adjudication, including initial, reconsiderations, continuing disability reviews, hearings, appeals, appeals of hearing decisions to the Appeals Council, representative and fee policy, the processing of fraud redeterminations, fraud referrals under section 1129 of the Social Security Act, hearings offices and national hearings centers.

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  Chief Information Officer: ^CIO Controls - information about technical feasibility and notice implementation.

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  FieldOps Performance: ^FieldOps Performance - electronic services, and notices used in field offices, teleservice centers, and processing centers.

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  Communications: ^Communications Controls - key agency messaging.

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  Program, Fiscal, and Disclosure Law (PFDL): ^LP PFD Law Controls - legal sufficiency, risk, and privacy compliance, to include the sufficiency and inclusion of any required Privacy Notices (e.g., Privacy Act statement,).

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.