Implementing the Act
Act established the Social Security Board (SSB)
First task was to register employers and workers by January 1, 1937
U.S. Postal distributed applications in November 1936
1936-1937, 35 million Social Security number (SSN) cards were issued
Notes:
The Act established the bipartisan Social Security Board (SSB) composed of three members appointed by the President. The original members were John G. Winant, Chairman; Arthur J. Altmeyer; and Vincent M. Miles. The SSB was faced with the tasks of providing employers, employees and the public with information on how earnings were to be reported, what benefits were available and how they were to be provided. In addition, sites for field installations had to be chosen and personnel to staff these offices had to be selected and trained.
The first task was to register employers and workers by January 1, 1937, when workers would begin acquiring credits toward old-age insurance benefits. Since the SSB did not have the resources available to accomplish this, they contracted with the U.S. Postal Service to distribute the applications, beginning in November 1936. The post offices collected the completed forms, typed the Social Security number (SSN) cards, and returned the cards to the applicants. Over 35 million SSN cards were issued through this procedure in 1936-37.