Background

On June 29, 1994, the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) published HALLEX I-1-700 to provide an overview of class action implementation and provide specific policy and procedural guidance with respect to various aspects of class action implementation at the OHA level. The material delineated OHA component responsibilities, including the responsibilities of the Office of Civil Actions (OCA) and the Office of Appellate Operations (OAO), for such actions as receiving and processing alerts, screening potential class member claims and providing notice, and routing cases. On February 6, 1995, OAO assumed responsibility for the functions previously performed by the OCA operating divisions, following an OHA Headquarters reorganization.

Explanation of Content and Changes

The class action workload previously handled by the OCA operating divisions will now be processed by OAO through the OAO Class Action Coordinator. The change in OAO's functional responsibilities necessitates a change in these HALLEX provisions with respect to component responsibilities. This revision also reflects changes in Social Security Administration (SSA) component nomenclature and responsibilities resulting from streamlining, as well as changes necessary for clarity.

The revision includes substantive changes in the following sections:

I-1-705 B. with respect to the alert process;

I-1-706 B.3. with respect to copy requirements for screening sheets; and

I-1-707 B. with respect to the processing of court remands of named and unnamed class member claims.

Because the revisions are substantial, the instruction is being reissued.

Remove

Remove Chapter I-1-700 dated June 29, 1994.

Insert

Insert Chapter I-1-700 dated December 21, 1998.

Date: December 21, 1998