More On Possible Furloughs For SSA Employees

From the minutes of an August 16, 2006 conference call of the Board of the National Council of Social Security Management Associations:

Jim Burkert reported that the Commissioner and Linda spoke at the dedication of the new Auburn WA teleservice center. There were managers in attendance from all over the region. The Commissioner stated that for every $100 million we lose in budget, it’s an extra 5 days of furlough per employee. The funding level recommended by the Senate Appropriations Committee looks like it would result in a 10-day furlough. The Commissioner also stated that the entire Agency would be furloughed at one time and mentioned the possibly of closing all offices (1) day a month rather than a straight 10-day furlough. This would allow the Agency to save on heat, guard service, etc. She stated that the Agency can’t cut everything else just to avoid furloughs. The Agency will look very closely at what makes the best sense to cut.

The Commissioner also talked about conducting a pilot to close 30 offices (1) day a week. The purpose is to determine if the Agency gains productivity by enabling offices uninterrupted time to process work.