TN 1 (01-20)

SL 50001.501 Mandatory Social Security Coverage

CITATIONS:

Social Security Act, Sections 210(a)(7)(F) and 210(p)

A. Mandatory Social Security coverage

Beginning July 2, 1991, Section 11332 of Public Law 101-508 mandates Social Security coverage for State and local government employees who are neither members of a qualified retirement system nor covered by a Section 218 Agreement, unless coverage is specifically excluded by law. The mandatory Social Security provisions apply to those State and local employees who have the option to become members of the retirement system but have chosen not to do so (optionals) as well as those employees who are personally ineligible for membership in the retirement system (ineligibles).

Because voluntary coverage under a State’s Section 218 Agreement precludes application of the mandatory provisions, always verify whether a position is covered under the State’s Section 218 Agreement first before considering whether the individual employee in that position is subject to mandatory Social Security coverage. If the employee’s position is covered by the State’s Section 218 Agreement, then the employee is covered regardless of possible participation in a qualified retirement system.

NOTE: 

Section 226 of the Social Security Act (Act) provides Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) coverage automatically to individuals who have Social Security coverage.

B. Qualified Retirement System for purposes of mandatory coverage

A “qualified retirement system” is a pension plan maintained by a public employer that meets certain criteria established by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (see IRS Revenue Procedure 91-40; 26 C.F.R. § 31.3121(b)(7)-2). The mandatory Social Security provisions do not apply to any individual employee who participates in a qualified retirement system

IRS is responsible for determining whether an employee is a member of a qualified retirement system under its rules.

NOTE: 

Be extremely cautious not to confuse “retirement system” as the Social Security Administration (SSA) defines it for purposes of voluntary Section 218 coverage (SL 30001.302) and “retirement system” as IRS defines it for purposes of mandatory Social Security coverage. For purposes of Section 218 coverage, SSA defines “retirement system” broadly to establish a basic standard governing when a State must provide referendum procedures to employees before expanding voluntary coverage to certain positions. For purposes of mandatory Social Security coverage, IRS defines “retirement system” with highly specific qualitative standards that govern the applicability of mandatory coverage. In order to distinguish the two concepts, SSA uses the term “qualified retirement system” when referencing a retirement system that satisfies IRS’s qualitative standards for purposes of mandatory Social Security. An employee can be a member of a retirement system that does not constitute a qualified retirement system.

C. Cessation of mandatory coverage for State and local government employees

Mandatory Social Security coverage ceases either (1) when a state or local government employee becomes a member of a qualified retirement system or (2) where a State expands coverage under its Section 218 Agreement to the employee’s position.

NOTE: 

Cessation of mandatory Social Security coverage may affect an employee’s Medicare coverage under SSA’s continuous employment exception rules (see 50001.510.B).

D. Services not subject to mandatory Social Security coverage

The following services are excluded from mandatory Social Security coverage. Some services, while excluded from mandatory coverage are optional exclusions under Section 218 and, therefore, may be covered under a Section 218 Agreement. The exclusions that may be covered under a Section 218 Agreement are noted below.

  • Services performed by individuals hired to be relieved from unemployment. (This does not include many programs financed from Federal funds where the primary purpose is to give the employee work experience or training.)

  • Services performed in a hospital, home, or other institution by a patient or inmate of such institution as an employee of a state or local government employer.

  • Services performed by an employee on a temporary basis in case of fire, storm, snow, earthquake, volcano, flood, or other similar emergency.

  • Services performed by non-resident aliens with F-1, J-1, M-1, and Q-1 visas.

  • Services in positions compensated solely by fees that are subject to the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA), unless a Section 218 Agreement covers these services.

  • Services performed by a student enrolled and regularly attending classes at the school, college, or university where they are working, unless a Section 218 Agreement covers student services.

  • Services performed by an election worker or official whose pay in a calendar year is less than the amount mandated by law, unless a Section 218 Agreement covers election workers. To find the coverage status of election workers for each State, see the Election Worker Coverage Chart.

  • Services that would be excluded if performed for a private employer because it is not work defined as employment under Section 210(a) of the Act, unless a Section 218 Agreement covers certain agricultural services.

NOTE: 

If the services are covered under a Section 218 Agreement, they are subject to Social Security and Medicare under the terms of the Agreement because coverage under a Section 218 Agreement supersedes all other considerations. First determine whether a worker's services are covered under an Agreement; if not, coverage is determined under the mandatory coverage and exclusion rules.


To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/1950001501
SL 50001.501 - Mandatory Social Security Coverage - 01/29/2020
Batch run: 02/11/2020
Rev:01/29/2020