Mar 19, 2020

Why Can't Attorneys Use Facetime Or Viber To Do Video Hearings?

     The Covid-19 emergency isn't going away soon. The Department of Health and Human Services is planning based upon an assumption it will last 18 months or more.
     Social Security has allowed attorneys to do video hearings from their offices but only if they install expensive video equipment. Very few have done so.
     Why don't we allow attorneys to use Facetime or Viber to appear with their clients at these hearings? Skype doesn't but Facetime and Viber have end-to-end encryption. They're far more secure than the telephone calls we'll be using otherwise. At least from out end this can be implemented quickly. Come on, we're in an emergency situation here!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why? Because this is SSA. "Bringing you yesterday's technology, tomorrow."

Anonymous said...

They will not use proposed means of communication for hearings. Period. In fact, hearing operations, in all likelihood, will soon end anyway. The system, as set up, w no office support, no hearings as envisioned by the Regs, reduction of freedom of movement in some places and eventually nationwide, and claimants being no-shows or requesting indefinite postponements en masse - not to mention the infection spreading at an accelerated rate and will stay around for quite some time - means nothing but the business about to be shot down.