POMS Reference

SI 00820: Earned Income

TN 46 (06-08)

A. Introduction

Some FOs have made arrangements with employers (usually sheltered workshops) to report earnings on a periodic basis for all of the SSI recipients they employ.

Additionally, some FOs have made arrangements with recipients/deemors to report and provide proof of earnings on a periodic basis.

B. Policy – frequency of wage reports

In order for this verification procedure to apply, employer or recipient/ deemor reports must be received no less frequently than once every 3 months.

C. Procedure – processing periodic reports

1. Employer reports

When an employer's periodic report of earnings is received:

  1. Record the verified earnings on the MSSICS IWAG screen and/or the SSR with a verification code of 9; and

  2. Indicate the source of the evidence (e.g. letter/fax from employer), the employer name, and the start date of periodic reporting on the EVID screen or a locked DROC.

    No further entries are required on the EVID or DROC screen unless the type of evidence changes or periodic reporting ends.

2. Recipient/Deemor reports

When an individual's periodic report and evidence of earnings is received:

  1. Record the verified earnings on the MSSICS IWAG screen and/or the SSR with a verification code of 9; and

  2. Indicate the source of the evidence (e.g. pay slips), the employer name, and the start date of periodic reporting on the EVID screen or a locked DROC.

    No further entries are required on the EVID or DROC screen unless:

    • the type of wage evidence changes,

    • the employer changes, or

    • the individual begins receiving wages from an additional employer.

REMINDER: If desired, use SSIMWV to enter the pay slip information from a recipient or deemor. If entering multiple months of information into SSIMWV a receipt must be generated separately for each month in order for the documentation policy in SI 00820.143F. to apply.

3. Redeterminations

a. Unverified earnings on the SSR

If the SSR reflects unverified earnings for only the reporting period immediately preceding the month a redetermination is initiated (e.g., one month if employer or employee reports monthly), do not verify wages for the current redetermination. The periodic wage control system will assure that they are verified before the next redetermination.

However, if the SSR reflects other unverified earnings in the redetermination period of review, verify wages in all unverified months through the month prior to the month the redetermination is initiated. For additional information related to the period for wage verification, refer to SI 00820.127. Unverified earnings include only those entries with a verification code of “1”. “Reported” wage amounts with a verification code of “0” do not require further verification unless one of the exceptions in SI 00820.130B.2. applies during the period being developed.

b. Periodic reporting statement

Document the redetermination file to show that the employer or the recipient/deemor reports periodically (specifying the period — e.g., monthly) using one of the following methods:

  • an annotation on a locked DROC in MSSICS; or

  • faxing a copy of the periodic reporting statement into the Non-Disability Repository (NDRED) or the Electronic Disability Folder (eDIB).