Social Security Amendments of 1980

Social Security Amendments of 1980: Title I: Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program Improvements - Amends titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) and XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permit the Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, and the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund to make loans to the other Funds, prior to fiscal year 1991, whenever one of the funds falls below 25 percent of the amount of its disbursements for the 12 months preceding the borrowing. Provides for the repayment of such loans.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to pay travel expenses incident to medical examinations requested by the Social Security Administration to determine disability, and to parties, their representatives, and necessary witnesses, for travel to reconsideration interviews and to proceedings before administrative law judges under titles II, XVI (Supplemental Security Income), or XVIII of the Act, or title IV (Black Lung Benefits) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.

Prevents, under title II, in calculating the deduction for an individual entitled to: (1) wife's insurance benefits by reason of having a child in her care; (2) child's benefits; or (3) mother's benefits, because of work, the charging of excess earnings to any month in which an individual did not engage in self-employment and did not render services for wages of more than the applicable exempt amount as determined under title II.

Modifies, under title II, the penalty for failure to make a timely report of excess earnings to the Secretary.

Increases penalties for: (1) excessive charges by individuals representing OASDI or SSI claimants before the Secretary; and (2) misuse of a social security number.

Amends title II of the Act and the Internal Revenue Code to consider any employee social security or unemployment taxes paid by any employer without deduction from the wages of the employee to constitute wages, except for those paid to domestic employees in private homes.

Requires employers to pay social security taxes on the full amount of covered tips received by an employee.

Includes under the Internal Revenue Code and title II of the Act: (1) as wages, cash paid to agricultural employees by an employer who has annual total expenditures for agricultural labor in excess of $2,500; and (2) as an employee, any individual who performs services for remuneration as a crew leader or who is furnished by a crew leader to perform agricultural labor.

Limits, under title II, a self employed individual to one optional method for reporting net earnings whether the business is farm or nonfarm.

Provides, under title II, that a worker who was entitled to disability benefits before age 31 may again be covered if the worker has at least one quarter of covered employment for every two elapsed quarters after reaching age 21.

Provides that a worker under age 65 receiving disability benefits shall have such benefits reduced by a certain amount of workers' compensation benefits received by the worker. (Presently this offset provision is applicable only to disabled workers under age 62).

Provides OASDI coverage for United States citizens working outside the U.S. for a foreign affiliate of an American employer. Eliminates the present requirement that coverage may only be provided to employees of a foreign subsidiary of a domestic corporation. Reduces from 20 to 10 percent the ownership interest in the affiliate that is required to be held by the American employer.

Permits title II beneficiaries to work as much as 45 hours a month in noncovered remunerative activity outside the U.S. before making benefits deductions.

Authorizes the Secretary to require any requester of earning histories to pay the full cost of providing the information if the request is made to assist a party in interest in the administration of an employee benefit plan.

Title II: Elimination of Gender-Based Distinctions Under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program - Amends title II of the Act to eliminate gender-based distinctions in awarding benefits under such title. Equalizes treatment of fathers, husbands, divorced husbands, surviving divorced husbands, and widowers with treatment of their female counterparts under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program.