Legal Status
This site displays a prototype of a “Web 2.0” version of the daily Federal Register. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official electronic version on GPO’s govinfo.gov.
The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal Register documents. Each document posted on the site includes a link to the corresponding official PDF file on govinfo.gov. This prototype edition of the daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov will remain an unofficial informational resource until the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register (ACFR) issues a regulation granting it official legal status. For complete information about, and access to, our official publications and services, go to About the Federal Register on NARA's archives.gov.
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Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration manages the Nation's social insurance program--consisting of retirement, survivors, and disability insurance programs--commonly known as Social Security; administers the Supplemental Security Income program for the aged, blind, and disabled; assigns Social Security numbers to U.S. citizens; and maintains earnings records for workers under their Social Security numbers.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) was established by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1946 (5 U.S.C. app.), effective July 16, 1946. It became an independent agency in the executive branch by the Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 901), effective March 31, 1995.
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Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Musculoskeletal Disorders
We are revising the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving musculoskeletal disorders in adults and children under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act). The revisions reflect our adjudicative experience, advances in medical knowledge, and comments we received from the public in...
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Removing Inability To Communicate in English as an Education Category
We are finalizing our proposed regulations to eliminate the education category ``inability to communicate in English'' when we evaluate disability claims for adults under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). This education category is no longer a useful indicator of an individual's educational attainment or of the vocational...
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Rules of Conduct and Standards of Responsibility for Appointed Representatives; Correction
On July 2, 2018, we published final rules in the Federal Register revising our rules of conduct and standards of responsibility for representatives. Those final rules reduced the amount of time to request Appeals Council review of a hearing officer's decision from 30 days to 14 business days, but we inadvertently failed to make the same change...
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Security and Suitability Files
We are issuing a final rule to exempt a system of records entitled Security and Suitability Files. This final rule also removes two systems of records listed in our exemptions, but which do not exist, and will replace them with a new exemption for this specified system of records from specific provisions of the Privacy Act.\1\...
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Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Digestive Disorders and Skin Disorders
We propose to revise the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (listings) that we use to evaluate claims involving digestive and skin disorders in adults and children under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act). The proposed revisions reflect our adjudicative experience, advances in medical knowledge, and comments we received from...
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Use of Electronic Payroll Data to Improve Program Administration
This is advance notification to the public regarding the implementation of an information exchange between the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Equifax, a payroll data provider. We expect that the information exchange will enable us to administer Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)...
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Notice on Penalty Inflation Adjustments for Civil Monetary Penalties
The Social Security Administration is giving notice of its updated maximum civil monetary penalties. These amounts are effective from January 15, 2021 through January 14, 2022. These figures represent an annual adjustment for inflation. The updated figures and notification are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act...
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Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces a new matching program with the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Department of the Treasury (Fiscal Service). The matching agreement between SSA and Fiscal Service sets forth the terms, conditions, and safeguards under which Fiscal Service will disclose...
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Anti-Fraud System
We separately published, in today's Federal Register, notice of a modified system of records entitled Anti-Fraud (AF) System. Because this system will contain some investigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes, this proposed rule will exempt those records within this system of records from specific provisions of the Privacy Act.
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Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
In accordance with the Privacy Act, we are issuing public notice of our intent to modify an existing system of records entitled, Anti-Fraud Enterprise Solution (AFES) (60-0388), last published on May 3, 2018. This notice publishes details of the modified system as set forth under the caption, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
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Rescission of Acquiescence Ruling 15-1(4)
In accordance with 20 CFR 402.35(b)(2), 404.985(e) and 416.1485(e), the Commissioner of Social Security gives notice of the rescission of Social Security Acquiescence Ruling 15-1(4).
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Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
In accordance with the Privacy Act, we are issuing public notice of our intent to modify an existing system of records entitled, Representative Disqualification, Suspension, and Non-Recognition File (60-0219), last published on May 10, 2010. This notice publishes details of the modified system as set forth below under the caption, SUPPLEMENTARY...