Monthly SSI Wage Reporting

Request for OMB Clearance of Non-Substantive Changes for

The SSI Monthly Wage Reporting 20 CFR 416.701-732

OMB No. 0960-0715

Background

The SSI Telephone Wage Reporting (SSITWR) system and the SSI Mobile Wage Reporting (SSIMWR) application fully automate monthly wage reporting. These methods allow respondents to voluntarily report the prior month of gross wages by telephone or smartphone application, instead of contacting their local Social Security field office. The reporters either call a designated SSA toll-free telephone number or use the smartphone wage reporting application during the first through the sixth day of each month. The systems cutoff date dictates the 6-day reporting period called Goldberg Kelly (GK), and allows the reported wage amounts to post to the Supplemental Security Record in time to prevent potential overpayments and underpayments. We will continue to use the current telephone and mobile collection process using the existing SSITWR and SSIMWR systems framework.

SSITWR

Change 1: We are adding the following language to SSITWR

• SSITWR: “Please note, we are ONLY able to accept wage reports for the entire month of <Current Reporting Month> (ex: April). Each month you should be reporting the total gross wages received in the PREVIOUS month. If you need to report wages received this month, you’ll need to call back on or after <GK Start Date> (ex: May 1^st). To report wages for any other time period, you’ll need to contact your local social security office.”

Justification 1: We are adding the language to clarify the instructions, increase ease of use, and emphasize to the user to report wages for the current reporting month.

Change 2: We are revising the language on the SSITWR telephone prompts.

• Old Language: “Next, I need the total wages paid for the Current Reporting Month and Year (ex: April 2014) ). Please tell me the total gross wages in dollars and cents for the Current Reporting Month and Year (ex: April 2014).

• New Language: “Next, I need the total gross wages paid in the entire month of <Current Reporting Month and Year> (ex: April 2014) ). Please tell me the total gross wages paid in dollars and cents in the entire month of <Current Reporting Month and Year> (ex: April 2014).

Justification 2: We are revising the language to clarify the instructions.

Change 3: We are adding a Wage Reporting Reminder to the SSITWR telephone prompts.

Justification 3: The reminder prompt will encourage the reporter to voluntarily sign up for the reminder and report wages in a timely manner.

• New Language: “You can now sign up online to receive a monthly wage reporting reminder via e-mail or text message at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssiwagereporting/ To hear that again, say ‘repeat.”

SSIMWR Application

We are making minor language revisions similar to the SSITWR system to the mobile screen shots to help the reporter to better understand and use our application. By improving and clarifying the mobile application instructions, we want to help ensure users report wages for the current reporting month.

Change 4: We are adding a new page in the path. The mock screen is not available yet.

• New Language: “We are only able to accept gross wage reports for the entire month of <current reporting month>. If you need to report wages paid in <current calendar month>, check back on or after <GK Start Date>. To report wages for any other time period, you’ll need to contact your local social security office.”

Justification 4: The purpose of the new page is to assist the users to report wages for any month that is not the previous calendar month. We also want to improve and clarify the wage reporting prompts and make the wage reporting system as accurate as we reasonably can. Most importantly, we want to emphasize to the users of SSIMWR and SSITWR that they need to report monthly wage amounts when reporting.

Change 5: We are changing the language on the Enter Your Wages screen.

• Old Language: “Your gross wages for MM/YY”

• New Language: “Your total gross wages for the entire month of MM/YY”

Justification 5: We are revising the language to improve and clarify the wage reporting prompts, and make the wage reporting system as accurate as we reasonably can. Most importantly, we want to emphasize to the users of SSIMWR and SSITWR that they need to report monthly wage amounts when reporting.

Change 6: We are revising the language on the Confirm Your Wages screen

• Old Language “Your gross wages for MM/YY”

• New Language: “Your total gross wages for the entire month of MM/YY”

Justification 6: We are revising the language to improve and clarify the wage reporting prompts, and make the wage reporting system as accurate as we reasonably can. Most importantly, we want to emphasize to the users of SSIMWR and SSITWR that they need to report monthly wage amounts when reporting.