Mar 17, 2020

A Message From The Commissioner To SSA Employees


A Message to All SSA Employees
Subject: COVID-19 Update

I know that there is a high level of concern among our employees about the COVID-19 outbreak.  I greatly appreciate how hard you are all working to continue to provide our critical services, even as you tend to your personal wellbeing and that of your loved ones.  As you know, confirmed cases now exist in many communities and many schools have closed for an extended time.  We are all being asked to practice social distancing to help stop the spread of this coronavirus.  In addition to the measures we announced on Friday regarding high-risk employees and school closings, today we began implementing additional steps.
 
In non-public facing offices, most employees will perform their work with additional days of telework.  For field offices and hearing offices, to protect our employees and the public we serve, we will close to the public beginning Tuesday, March 17.  We are sharing field office general phone lines with the public so our employees can provide telephone service at the local level.  Hearing offices will offer voluntary hearings to claimants, by telephone.  Due to the nature of our work, some of us must continue to come into the office to handle critical workloads.  In these situations, supervisors will try to enable you to work from home as much as possible, but not every day.  We will also take measures to distance staff from each other while in the office.

Systems has worked to ensure that all employees have VPN access during this crisis and to ensure we are ready to support a large volume of teleworking employees.  However, this will be our first time to significantly depend on this structure for an extended period.  Please be patient and immediately report any issues to your supervisors so that we can not only assist you but also coordinate at the national level, as necessary.

Please continue to follow the CDC guidance about COVID-19 to prevent illness and recognize symptoms. If you are sick, stay home, or go home immediately if you are at work, and call your healthcare provider for medical advice.  If you test positive for COVID-19, please immediately let your supervisor know.

We know that this outbreak may be stressful to you.  It may be difficult to cope with the fear and anxiety about a disease, particularly when there is uncertainty.  We hope that the decision to expand telework and to close our offices to the public will ease some of the stress.  I encourage you to visit the CDC Coronavirus webpage, which includes information and resources to cope with this stress and ensure your mental health.  Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is also available. 

I ask for your patience as we continue to work through these very complicated issues that affect many different aspects of the agency.  We will continue to talk with experts and to evaluate our response, and we will continue to update our human resources site to provide you with current information.

Finally, we all chose to work in public service.  During this difficult time, the public will need our help.  I know I can count on you to do all you can to serve the public with integrity.  You have my deep appreciation.

Andrew Saul
Commissioner

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

"You have my deep appreciation." LOL

Anonymous said...

I appreciate his notice regarding the availability of help, but that fifth paragraph seems to suggest the man still doesn't really understand the gravity of this threat. These measures were necessary and requested to prevent catastrophic health outcomes. Not to soften the stress and anxiety this pandemic has caused (which Mr. Saul himself needlessly compounded by waiting far too long to take decisive action).

Anonymous said...

Although the CDC recommendation is to avoid groups of 10 or more people, the Federal buildings are still open to the public and hundreds, if not thousands, of employees are required to report to work.

Anonymous said...

It is my (educated) guess that after the agency compiles a report of how many hearings got postponed (a whole bunch) this week, they will close HOs, at least for purposes of holding hearings in any way. QWhy? Because it will make no sense attempting to schedule phone hearings that a significant portion of the claimants and their reps refuse, especially in light of rather dubious legality of the option offered to them. Additionally, that will go hand-in-hand with worsening of overall public health picture in the country (we won't peak at least for 2-3 weeks). So, IMHO, get ready for NO hearings pretty soon.

Anonymous said...

"I ask for your patience as we continue to work through these very complicated issues that affect many different aspects of the agency. "

Commissioner Saul, we can no longer be patient.
At Payment centers, thousands of employees are in cramped quarters. We must go through security at entrances and go on elevators with no social distancing. Even our workstations don't meet the requirements for social distancing.
Close the buildings now, and have the computers sent to employees homes for telework later. This could save lives.

H Olinsky said...

Response to anonymous at 10:10. We are waiving in person hearings because our clients cant wait, cash flow wont allow us to last very long if we adjourn most of our hearings, and our staff needs to be paid and feed their family. These are trying times for sure, but it makes no sense to make matters worse for all who depend on us.

Anonymous said...

At first, I thought Saul was taking the right action letting people telework with health issues or school closures. But the more I think about it, that is insulting. As opposed to letting everyone who can telework, as the president has asked, Saul is still doing the bare minimum, in essence, telework by exception rather than the rule. The rest of the country is doing everything possible to make telework viable for their employees and this agency is making everyone fight for each individual to be working from home. It’s rather disgusting and disappointing.

Anonymous said...

"In non-public facing offices, most employees will perform their work with additional days of telework."

This is such a pathetic response to a crisis. Telework should be MANDATORY whenever possible. That's where we'll be in two days, and everyone knows it except for Saul.

Anonymous said...

"in non-public facing offices, most employees will perform their work with additional days of telework"

Another vague SSA statement that does nothing for SSA Employees who are still forced to come in and risk the danger of infection.
Commissioner Saul:
What does "most employees" mean?
What does "additional days" mean, shouldn't telework be every day immediately?
Why were HQ Employees sent home yesterday. while PC's and TSC's are still forced to face infection?
Why are there still no telework provisions for SSA Employees who are age 60+ who are at high risk for bad consequences if they catch Coronovirus?

Anonymous said...

Agency doesn't want boomers. Ageism is common. That's why no special telework options.

Anonymous said...

I like the remark that we all chose government service which I did for 40 years thru thick and thin. Given the younger generation attitudes I wonder if they can rise to the occcasion.

Anonymous said...

It’s so dangerous to require staff who telework much of the time during normal periods to not telework 100% during this pandemic. Why allow employees to spread this among each other? We’re on a bad trajectory with potentially over a million deaths in this country. The Commissioner obviously doesn’t grasp science or appreciate the seriousness of this virus.

Anonymous said...

Union officials are saying as of Tuesday afternoon SSA Is putting out vague statements about increased telework. But still dragging their feet on actually restoring telework for PSC, TSC, HO, FO. and still actually refusing to grant telework for these areas.