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MS 0131 (1) Volume 1 – General Administration MS 0131 – R. 5/1/23 – OMTL-623 Electronic Income Verification (EIV) [Electronic Income Verification (EIV) is a method of obtaining verification of an individual’s earned income online. An online service may be used to assist individuals when verification of earned income is not readily available, and the individual advises the worker that verification of the income is available by a free online service. Before EIV can be used, the individual must be contacted to confirm the information provided through EIV is current and correct. Comments must be entered in Worker Portal to explain the verification of the income. This also applies to information received from the Eligibility Advisor (EA). Note: EA should be accessed before using any other online verification service.] A. It remains the individual’s responsibility to provide verification of earned income if information provided on an online service is incorrect or incomplete. B. [It is the agency’s responsibility to conduct thorough interviews to ensure that the employer’s name, rate of pay, hours worked, and pay schedule are documented in comments when earned income is reported and can be verified through an approved EIV.] C. EIV online services may have hidden fees that workers may not be aware of without completing additional research. Therefore, the online services must meet all of the following criteria: 1. The online service must be free. 2. The online service must not lead to a charge of any kind. 3. The information must be accessible to the caseworker directly. [If the EIV online service meets the criteria above, forward the information to the appropriate program branch inbox through the region’s Public Assistance Program Specialist (PAPS) for approval to use the service. Once approval has been received from Central Office (CO), the service can be used.] If the EIV online service is not approved, follow normal verification procedures. D. Do not utilize or set up accounts for EIV online services that do not meet the criteria listed above. Do not use an individual’s username and password to log on to the individual’s online account to verify earned income or allow an individual to use state computer equipment to do so.