Social Security Managers Say SSA Needs 5,000 More Employees -- In Field Offices Alone

From the Federal Times:

SSA [Social Security Administration] expects to be able to replace all the field office employees who retire [under the Bush budget for fiscal year 2009], the National Council of Social Security Management Associations said many more are needed to answer phones, process claims and help people who walk into the offices. SSA needs at least 32,000 field office employees and it now has about 27,000, said Rick Warsinskey, former president of the council.

“We're not doing a good job answering calls,” Warsinskey said. “Our [phone lines’] busy rates are running at 50 percent, and staff keeps getting diverted to handle the people coming in because they can't get through on the phones.”