§411.535 What are the milestones for which an EN can be paid?

(a) Under the outcome-milestone payment system, there are four milestones for which the EN can be paid. The milestones occur after the date on which the ticket was first assigned and after the beneficiary starts to work. The milestones are based on the earnings levels that we use when we consider if work activity is SGA. We will use the SGA threshold amount in §404.1574(b)(2) of this chapter for beneficiaries who are not statutorily blind, and we will use the SGA threshold amount in §404.1584(d) of this chapter for beneficiaries who are statutorily blind. We will use these SGA threshold amounts in order to measure if the beneficiary's earnings level meets the milestone objective.

(1) The first milestone is met when the beneficiary has worked for one calendar month and has gross earnings from employment (or net earnings from self-employment as defined in §416.1110(b) of this chapter) for that month that are more than the SGA threshold amount.

(2) The second milestone is met when the beneficiary has worked for three calendar months within a 12-month period and has gross earnings from employment (or net earnings from self-employment as defined in §416.1110(b) of this chapter) for each of the three months that are more than the SGA threshold amount. The month used to meet the first milestone can be included in the three months used to meet the second milestone.

(3) The third milestone is met when the beneficiary has worked for seven calendar months within a 12-month period and has gross earnings from employment (or net earnings from self-employment as defined in §416.1110(b) of this chapter) for each of the seven months that are more than the SGA threshold amount. Any of the months used to meet the first two milestones can be included in the seven months used to meet the third milestone.

(4) The fourth milestone is met when the beneficiary has worked for 12 calendar months within a 15-month period and has gross earnings from employment (or net earnings from self-employment as defined in §416.1110(b) of this chapter) for each of the 12 months that are more than the SGA threshold amount. Any of the months used to meet the first three milestones can be included in the 12 months used to meet the fourth milestone.

(b) An EN can be paid for a milestone only if the milestone is attained after a beneficiary has assigned his or her ticket to the EN. See §411.575 for other milestone payment criteria.