305.19 Crediting SSA Work Quarters (FSM)

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SSA determines whether an individual has sufficient work history to be credited with a covered quarter. It is the responsibility of the non-citizen to provide verification of number of work quarters for which they are credited.

Credit a non-citizen with those SSA covered work quarters earned by the:

• individual;

• individual’s spouse during their marriage, if they are legally married at the time of application, or if the spouse is deceased;

• individual's former spouse(s) only if the marriage(s) ended by death, and only those quarters earned during the marriage;

• individual’s natural or adoptive parents, including quarters earned prior to the individual’s birth or adoption, while the child is under 18 years of age; and

• individual’s step-parents, provided the step relationship still exists, but only those quarters earned during the time the child is living with the step-parent through the calendar quarter the child becomes age 18.

Exception: Beginning with the January 1, 1997 calendar quarter, do not count any quarters during which the individual, spouse, or parent received any federal means-tested benefit, such as TANF, SSI, or Food Stamp benefits.

Individuals who can verify that SSA is conducting an investigation to determine if more quarters can be credited towards eligibility may participate in the Food Stamp Program for up to 6 months from the date of the SSA’s original finding that the number of qualifying quarters was insufficient, pending the results of the investigation and if otherwise eligible.

References: 7 CFR 273.4(a)(6)(ii)(A)