A press release from Social Security:
Social Security announces as a result of Congress’ approval of the fiscal year 2015 budget, the agency will expand its hours nationwide and offices will be open to the public for an additional hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, effective March 16, 2015. A field office that is usually open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. will remain open until 4:00 p.m. Offices will continue to close to the public at noon every Wednesday so employees have time to complete current work and reduce backlogs.
“This expansion of office hours reaffirms our commitment to providing the people we serve the option of top-notch, face-to-face assistance in field offices even as we work to expand online services for those who prefer that flexibility,” said Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “The public expects and deserves world-class customer service and thanks to approved funding, I am pleased we will continue our tradition of exceptional service.”
In recent years, Social Security reduced public office hours due to congressional budget cuts, growing backlogs and staffing losses. The agency began recovery in fiscal year 2014 by replacing some field office staffing losses and providing overtime support to process critical work. With the commitment of resources in fiscal year 2015, the agency is able to restore some service hours to the public.
5 comments:
One more hour to interview and take on new claims, one less hour to process the ones we already have backlogged...oh well.
Sometimes extortion works...we used to close at 4:45.
This is good for operations staff. Limited hours and long waits push people online and make "Vision 2025" possible. We are here to serve the public. It is the function of the field office. This may seem like a step back but it is not - it is the right thing to do for the public and us. - Field Office Employee
Since there will be less desk time, CR's should learn how to adjudicate with the claimant sitting there watching. Make small talk, try not to get distracted, but do the work in the interview that they used to do at their desks. Yes, interviews will take longer but the work on that case will be done.
That only works when the claimant has all required proofs for the particular claim taken (in my area it's less than 50% of the time that I have everything). It also makes it harder when you're in a smaller office with less employees and your appointments run back, to back, to back etc. Making small talk to finish the claims not appreciated by coworkers and other claimants who have a scheduled time to be seen that day.
However, it can work in some situations, as I gave been able to follow it at other offices in the past that were properly staffed .
The office I'm currently in is so understaffed we have a couple of veteran employee wasting big salaries answering phones and processing replacement cards because we're all stretched.
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