Background

This transmittal amends Hearings, Appeals and Litigation Law (HALLEX) manual chapter I-3-8 to update procedures for routing paper claim(s) files and hearing recordings. Consistent with the decision of the Deputy Commissioner for Disability Adjudication and Review to end operations at the Office of Appellate Operations (OAO) MegaSite in Springfield, Virginia, OAO staff now routes paper claim(s) files with the hearing recording(s) to the Social Security Administration's National Records Center (SSANRC) in Independence, Missouri, or if the claim is favorably decided, to the appropriate effectuating component.

Explanation of Content and Changes

I-3-8-25 – In subsection A.3., we remove the instruction that in concurrent claims if one claim is denied and the other is favorably decided, OAO staff will place photocopies of the medical exhibits in the allowed file. In subsection B, we update the process for routing paper claim(s) files involving an unfavorable decision. We explain that OAO staff will associate the hearing recording with the claim(s) file and send the file to the SSANRC. We also make minor editorial changes throughout this section.

I-3-8-30 – In the second bullet of subsection A.4. and the fourth bullet of subsection B, we update the process for associating address search documents with a claim(s) file. We explain that when a copy of the notice of decision is returned as undeliverable, OAO staff will not request the paper claim(s) file from the storage facility. After compiling documents related to an unsuccessful search for a claimant's or representative's address, OAO staff will forward these documents to the office in possession of the claim(s) file. We also make minor editorial changes throughout this section.

Date: May 26, 2017