Attention: This bulletin has been superseded and is inactive.
EEOICPA BULLETIN NO. 15-01
Issue Date: October 15, 2014
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Effective Date: October 15, 2014
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Expiration Date: October 15, 2015
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Subject: New guidance for expedited processing for Form SSA-581 (Authorization to Obtain Earnings Data from the Social Security Administration).
Background: The Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC) submits Form SSA-581 to the Social Security Administration (SSA) to request earnings data to assist in verifying covered employment and/or to establish wage-loss. On October 1, 2014, the SSA and the DEEOIC agreed to new procedures to expedite this process.
References: Federal (EEOICPA) Procedure Manual, Chapters 2-0500 and 2-1400.
Purpose: To provide guidance on obtaining expedited earnings data from the SSA.
Applicability: All DEEOIC staff.
Actions:
1. As part of the expedited process for obtaining earnings data from the SSA, the Claims Examiner (CE) is no longer required to obtain the signature of the employee, or, if the employee is deceased, the signature of the survivor on the SSA-581 (Attachment 1). This process eliminates the need for the survivor to provide proof of the employee’s death and his or her relationship to the employee to obtain SSA earnings data for a deceased employee.
2. The CE is to complete the top portion of the Number Holder’s Information section on the SSA-581. This includes the following information: name; social security number; date of birth of employee; date of death of employee (if applicable); and other name(s) used. The CE completes the form with the years deemed necessary to verify employment and/or establish wage-loss on the “Periods Requested” line. In the box entitled, “Requesting Organization’s Information,” the CE types his or her name and identifies the district office under, “Signature of Organization Official.” The CE dates the form and lists his or her direct phone number, along with the district office fax number. The CE is to capitalize all entries on the SSA-581.
3. In lieu of mailing the completed SSA-581 to the SSA, the CE uses the Interaction Fax system to fax digitally the completed SSA-581 to the SSA using FAX number 877-278-7067. A cover page is not required with the SSA-581, nor is it necessary to fax the second page of the SSA-581 that contains the Privacy Act Statement.
4. The CE is to bronze into the OWCP Imaging System (OIS), a copy of the digitally faxed Form SSA-581, including the confirmation that the fax transmitted to the SSA.
5. If the faxed SSA-581 is deficient, the SSA contacts the CE directly to explain the deficiency, or the SSA emails the DEEOIC designated Point of Contact (POC) with a list of rejected SSA-581s for each district office. This email will include the name of the employee, the employee’s social security number, SSA reference number, and the reason(s) for the rejected SSA-581.
6. The POC forwards the email of rejected SSA-581 to the assigned CE. After making the necessary corrections, the CE digitally faxes the corrected SSA-581 with a cover sheet (Attachment 2) to FAX number 410-966-4210. The cover sheet must include the SSA reference number. The CE is responsible for bronzing into OIS any document received or created in response to a rejected SSA-581.
7. Upon receipt and processing of a SSA-581, the SSA releases a statement of earnings, known as an SSA-L460. The SSA will mail the SSA-L460 to the DEEOIC Central Mail Room (CMR), located in London, Kentucky, where it is scanned and indexed into OIS. If the CE does not receive a completed SSA-L460 within thirty (30) days of the faxed SSA-581, the CE calls the SSA to determine the status of the request. If the SSA indicates that the SSA-581 has not been received, the CE must refax the SSA-581 in accordance with Step 3. After the SSA-581 is refaxed, the CE should follow-up with the SSA within thirty (30) days. Otherwise, the CE obtains the status and monitors for SSA response.
8. Inquiries to the SSA are made by calling one of six phone numbers (Modules) depending upon the last four digits of the relevant SSN (See Attachment 3). When calling the SSA, the following information should be available to expedite the inquiry:
• SSA-issued job code (8015). The four-digit job code appears in the “Requesting organization” section of the SSA-581 form.
• Name of your organization.
• A copy of the SSA-581 or earnings statement in question.
• The full SSN of the number holder (employee), or the control number from the earnings statement.
9. This bulletin rescinds and supersedes EEOICPA Bulletin No. 09-10, entitled Processing Social Security Administration Form SSA-581.
RACHEL P. LEITON
Director, Division of Energy Employees
Occupational Illness Compensation
Distribution List No. 1: Claims Examiners, Supervisory Claims Examiners, Technical Assistants, Customer Service Representatives, Fiscal Officers, FAB District Managers, Operation Chiefs, Hearing Representatives, District Office Mail & File Sections