Enhanced Representative Availability Process Enrollment
Date:
Dear Colleague,
We previously let you know about our new streamlined process, the Enhanced Representative Availability Process, or ERAP, allowing appointed representatives to submit monthly availability for hearings before Administrative Law Judges.
Many representatives have already enrolled in the new process, and we've gotten great feedback! For those of you who have not yet enrolled, it's easy to get started - you must provide us with information about the group for which you want to submit availability. After that, representatives will submit availability by email each month. You can learn about the new process and how to get started on our Hearings and Appeals Enhanced Representative Availability Process (ERAP) page.
On our webpage, you will find information regarding the scheduling process, including contact information, definitions, and a full description of the availability process, including availability examples, important scheduling information, and Frequently Asked Questions.
A second resource is our External Liaison Unit (ELU), a specialized unit primarily responsible for obtaining and monitoring representative availability. ELU staff will enter representative-provided availability into our scheduling software application. For questions regarding representative-provided availability for hearings, or anything regarding ERAP, the ELU is the first point of contact for representatives.
As we near completion of the national roll-out of this new process, we encourage you to enroll in ERAP as soon as possible. Availability submissions for March 2024, due by October 1, 2023, must be ERAP compliant and will only be accepted from enrolled representatives. To submit availability for March 2024, you must complete the ERAP enrollment process no later than September 8, 2023. That allows us adequate time to process your enrollment request.
If you are not enrolled by September 8th, you will not be able to submit availability for March 2024 and we will assume you are fully available for scheduling. You can still enroll in ERAP after that time and begin submitting once we have processed your request.
We will continue to offer information sessions via MS Teams about the new process, throughout August 2023. If you have questions or would like to sign up for an information session, please call the ELU at
We hope that you will join us for a session. You can also visit our webpage for more information about our new process.
Thank you for helping us schedule hearings more efficiently, resulting in better customer service.
Sincerely,
Dawn Bystry
Acting Associate Commissioner
Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
oea.net.post@ssa.gov
@SSAOutreach