Even with a $2 trillion trust fund for its budget, the Social Security Administration is in serious jeopardy, facing increasing backlogs as it processes more claims with fewer employees.
Richard Warsinskey, manager of the administration's Cleveland office, says he is as frustrated as those who wait for hours in an office or get a recording when they call for help with retirement benefits, survivor or disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income.
"We are really concerned for the public," Warsinskey said during a recent interview with The Plain Dealer. "We want them to get good service, the right amount of money and not wait so long. People are dying before disability decisions are made." ...
What's the biggest concern?
Disability claims take more than half our resources. But we will see a growth in retirement next year as the first of baby boomers turn 62 and are in their first year of eligibility.
Why the backlog in disability claims?
About 90,000 more people have filed each of the last five years. Budget cuts have led to the lowest field office staffing level since the early 1970s. ...
What could further overwhelm your staff?
We are concerned about proposed immigration rules. Currently when someone is hired, their information is sent to Social Security and we check the Social Security number. If it doesn't match, we send it back to the employer. They weren't obligated to do anything but may be required to send the employee to SSA to straighten it out.
2 comments:
And Congress continues to do nothing
"We are concerned about proposed immigration rules. Currently when someone is hired, their information is sent to Social Security and we check the Social Security number. If it doesn't match, we send it back to the employer. They weren't obligated to do anything but may be required to send the employee to SSA to straighten it out."
Obviously a bias comment included as anti illegal immigration enforcement. Offices could just as well be hit when the load of Baby Boomers start retiring.
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