Article 11.2 establishes the procedure that SSA will follow in converting periods of coverage under the Czech system into equivalent periods under the U.S. system. Periods of coverage under the U.S. system are measured in terms of calendar quarters while Czech periods of coverage are measured in days. Beginning in 1978, U.S. quarters of coverage are based on the amount of a person's annual earnings (e.g., for 2007, $1,000 in earnings equals one quarter of coverage). Under Article 11.2, SSA will credit one quarter of coverage in a calendar year for every 90 days of coverage certified for that year by the Czech agency. (Article 12.4 provides a corresponding rule for converting U.S. quarters of coverage into Czech days of coverage when determining Czech benefit eligibility.) However, SSA will not credit days of coverage under Czech laws which fall within a calendar quarter which has already been credited as a U.S. quarter of coverage. In addition, SSA will not credit more than 4 quarters of coverage for any calendar year, nor will SSA consider periods of Czech coverage credited prior to 1937, the earliest date for which periods of coverage may be credited under U.S. law.
