Justification for Non-Substantive Changes to 0960-0819

Justification for Non-Substantive Changes for Online Request for Correction of Earnings Record

20 CFR 404.820 & 422.125

OMB No. 0960-0819

Background

If an individual alleges an inaccurate earnings record in SSA’s files, they can submit earnings correction requests electronically on the Online Request for Correction of Earnings Record screens, via the agency’s online secure web platform

my Social Security portal. These Internet screens collect information, which supports an earnings correction action, such as employer names, addresses, wage amounts, and pertinent details about the nature of employment.

We are making the following changes to the Online Request for Correction of Earnings Record as part of SSA's ongoing IT Modification process.  We intend to implement these revisions on January 30, 2021.

Revisions to the Proof of Correct Earnings Screen

We are making the following changes to the “Proof of Correct Earnings” screen in accordance with OMB’s recommendations

• Change #1: We are removing the phrase “except copy A” from the sentence, “Copies of your Form W-2 (except copy A) for the year(s) you believe are wrong. A photocopy is acceptable.”

Justification #1: We are removing the language to concerns that the original language on this screen were not targeted to electronic submissions.

• Change #2: We are replacing the phrase “a photocopy is acceptable” with the phrase “a scan or scan-quality photo is acceptable” in the sentence, “Copies of your Form W-2 (except copy A) for the year(s) you believe are wrong. A photocopy is acceptable.”

Justification #2: We are replacing the phrase to addresses concerns that the original language on this screen were not targeted to electronic submissions.

• Change #3: We are replacing the phrase “we need the original statement” from the sentence, “A signed statement from your employer or the person who keeps your employer’s records; we need the original statement.”

Justification #3: We are replacing the phrase to address concerns that the original language on this screen were not targeted to electronic submissions.

After further review, we agree with OMB’s recommendations to address what could be confusing language to our users. For a better user experience, we want to address these non-substantive changes within a year of the OMB approval date of November 9, 2020.

As these revisions do not affect the burden for this collection, we are not making any changes to the overall burden information.

As mentioned above, SSA plans to implement these IT Modification changes on January 30, 2021. Therefore, we are asking OMB for approval for these updated screens as quickly as possible.