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ESA SNAP Policy Manual 331 earnings can be combined for a year. The dollar amount indicates the amount needed to credit one QQ beginning with 1978. A current year quarter may be included in the 40-quarter calculation. Use the current year amount as the divisor to determine the number of quarters available. A quarter may be counted once it has started, even if it is not yet complete. To credit quarters from 1937 through 1977, use the following guidelines:  A credit was earned for each calendar quarter in which an individual was paid $50 or more in wages (including agricultural wages for 1951–1954).  Four credits were earned for each taxable year in which an individual’s net earnings from self- employment were $400 or more.  A credit was earned for each $100 (limit to a total of four) for agricultural wages paid during the year for the years 1955–1977.  Do not credit a QQ before 1937. Timeliness for Verifying Quarters When an immigrant has provided documentation that indicates they would be eligible for assistance, but ESA has been unable to verify their status with USCIS or their 40 QQs with SSA within application timeliness standards, the following occurs:  ESA must approve the application for up to six months if the immigrant meets all other financial and nonfinancial eligibility requirements.  After the six-month period, USCIS or SSA should be able to provide the needed information regarding the immigrant’s eligibility for benefits. Example 1 Mr. Gull applies for SNAP. He can only be eligible if he meets the 40-quarter criteria. The SSA interface indicates that he has 35 QQs, but there are six quarters with a Z indicator. Mr. Gull states that he worked during those years and earned enough to earn QQs. ESA submitted a request for information to the SSA Office of Central Operations, but the office did not resolve the issue prior to the end of the 30-day application processing time period. ESA must approve the SNAP application for up to six months from the date the Department requested SSA to investigate the applicant’s work quarters. If SSA later finds that Mr. Gull did not have sufficient QQs and he cannot provide further evidence that he did earn sufficient quarters, ESA will terminate benefits, and the benefits received in error are a household-caused overpayment.

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