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The Covered Employment Chart should be used as a guide. The Social Security Act provisions are complex and the chart may not cover exceptions in the SSA. It is important to note that 97 percent of all employment is now covered under the Social Security Act. • If the SSR determines the earnings are from covered employment or federal, state, or local Medicare-only wages, then refer to development guidelines in Section 7.9.3: Determining Qualifying Quarters (QQ) in this Chapter. • If the SSR determines the earnings are from other non-covered employment, then you must obtain satisfactory evidence that the earnings exist before using the earnings to credit QQs. For acceptable means by which evidence necessary to credit QQs might be obtained see Section 7.9.3: Determining Qualifying Quarters (QQ) in this Chapter. Step 2: If the SSR is satisfied that the non-covered earnings exist, use the Credit of Qualifying Quarters Chart in Section 7.9.6: Making the Determination in this Chapter to determine the number of QQs that can be credited. Covered and non-covered earning can be combined for a year. The dollar amount indicates the amount needed to credit one QQ beginning with 1979. A current year quarter may be included in the 40-quarter computation. The SSR should 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.

If the SSR needs 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.

A QQ cannot be credited before 1937.

VICTIMS OF SEVERE FORMS OF TRAFFICKING OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 7.10 ALL Certain abused immigrants are considered 'qualified immigrants,' even if, in the absence of the abuse, they would not be considered 'qualified.' These victims of battery, extreme cruelty or trafficking in persons are provided special exceptions from the general restrictions on non-citizens’ eligibility for benefits. Victims of Severe Form of Trafficking 7.10.1 ALL Immigrants who are found to be victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons are considered qualified immigrants and are eligible for benefits to the same extent as refugees. “Severe forms of trafficking in persons” means: sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to