Advanced Section 218 Training Courses

Course: How to Determine an Entity’s Legal Status
This course looks at the various factors to consider when determining whether an entity is governmental or non-governmental. Remember, Section 218 Agreements can only cover positions of the States, political subdivisions and interstate instrumentalities. 

Course: How to Apply the Common Law Control Test in Determining an Employer/Employee Relationship
This course defines the terms employer and employee, and explains the process for using the common law control test to determine whether a worker is an employee.

Course: How to Navigate the Modification Process, and Who is Involved
This course is a step-by-step instructional guide to the modification process, and provides an in-depth look at who is involved in the process and what their responsibilities are. State administrators and SSA staffs in the RO, OGC, and HQ all have a role in the modification process.

Course: The Appeals Process
This course serves as a reminder that there are no appeals processes for Section 218 determinations. However, appeals processes are an important part of Social Security benefit determinations, and this course takes a look at those processes.

Course: How to Proceed When an Entity Changes its Name
This course describes the actions that need to be taken when the name of an entity covered under a State’s Section 218 Agreement or modification is changed.

Course: How to Utilize the New Entity Notification Procedure
This course explains the new entity notification procedure and addresses why a new modification may be unnecessary.

Course: Part-time Positions
This course fully explains the optional exclusion for part-time positions. It defines part-time, explains how to include the exclusion in modifications, and provides examples and case studies, as well as, addresses numerous other questions related to the subject.

Course: How to Determine if a Position is Covered Under Section 218
There are times when a coverage question presents itself, and you just do not know where to begin. Consider the following course to be a practical application and a starting point for addressing the very common question, “Are these positions covered?”

Course: How to Apply the Continuation of Coverage Provisions
The following course addresses the concept of continuation of coverage. The general rule is, once coverage is provided for State and local government employees, it generally continues unless an event occurs which results in a termination of the coverage. When reviewing the course, consider that the course content approaches continuation of coverage primarily from an absolute coverage group perspective; therefore, unless specifically noted otherwise, assume the question applies to absolute coverage groups.

Course: How Continuation of Coverage Provisions Apply in Medicare-Only Situations
Like the preceding course, this course also addresses the concept of continuation of coverage. However, unlike the prior course’s focal point, which was on full Social Security, this course looks at Medicare-only situations. We felt that separating the concept of continuation of coverage into two distinct areas (Social Security, Medicare) was important because the proper application of the continuation of coverage rules can cause some confusion when dealing with Medicare-only situations.