Social Security Administration October 5, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with our rules, we are announcing a new requirement for representatives who request direct fee payment. A representative must submit all evidence electronically in claims for Social Security disability insurance benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (Act), and claims for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments based on disability under title XVI of the Act, if the representative requests direct fee payment on that claim; the claim or case has an electronic folder; and the claim is pending at the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) or the Appeals Council. We expect electronic submission of this evidence will benefit claimants, representatives, and the Social Security Administration by improving our administrative efficiency and workload management, both during our COVID-19 health protocols and beyond.