From WSET:
... Dolores Roake's husband passed away on Jan. 1, 2002 [2022?]. It's been nearly five months, and she still does not have her widow's social security fund in her pocket. ...
Roakes reached out on Jan. 10 to let social security know about the changes. Roakes had a phone call appointment on February 14, where they told her to file her paperwork at the local office.
She filed her paperwork at the local office on March 1.
"I kept waiting and waiting to hear something. Never did. Never got anything in the mail."
That's when she started to call the social security office. On April 26, she finally got ahold of someone.
"She said she would push it through and she would process it that day, and I'd get something in five days. Well, I never heard anything. I would go online to try to check this progress, but no results," Roakes said.
That's when she reached out to ABC13 for help.
ABC13 emailed the Social Security Administration, asking about Roakes' benefits.
Only half an hour after ABC13 reached out, Roakes got some answers.
"After you sent the email, I got a phone call. She finally found where everything was processed on Friday. She just apologized, and that was about it," Roakes said. ...
When there is a major screw up, an apology is all you get, if you're lucky. One of the major problems is the lack of accountability. I know they are shorthanded and folks are overwhelmed. But, we have had situations where multiiple employees and supervisors have been notified multiple times about things not getting done such as an application not being processed for a year. They tell you it will be taken care of but it never is until you start going higher up and making noise. When someone knows about something like that that should be made a priority and they fail to do so, there should be some action taken, especially if it is a supervisor. But, the agency does not seem the least bit interested and, like I said, if you are lucky, you may, may get an apology.
ReplyDeleteShould have followed up online and taken care of it.
ReplyDeleteI have several cases that are just sitting because I have to process social security cards and benefit verifications all day.
ReplyDeleteManagement can see exactly how long cases have been pending so there should have been no surprises there.
I know in my office there are two of us that aren’t trainees. Just two…so essentially all the work falls on just us.
I don’t know about that particular office, but two people processing work for an entire office is overwhelming to say the least.
Crazy thing is, we’re getting three more new hires. Sounds good until you realize that’s just going to slow us down even more because they need training and won’t be proficient or off review for at least 18-24 months.
In the end the public suffers the most.
@9:50 Just the latest example of how poorly so many things are done at SSA. And, as you inferred, no one at the agency seems to care. Truly a sad testament to an agency that affects the lives of millions.
ReplyDeleteThat’s a terrible take. Almost everyone at the FO level cares. We’re completely, utterly, terribly, (how many more adjectives can I add) buried, overworked, and overwhelmed.
DeleteI get interrupted constantly. I’ll start on something and get interrupted multiple times. Everything is a priority. Want to clear claims? Sorry, a bus load of J1s walked in and we only have two people in the office. Do I help them out to make sure people aren’t waiting outside and those long lines don’t make the papers? We care. I’m talking an employee off the cliff every other week.
I know things are bad, but it isn’t because “nobody cares”. In fact, the more I type the angrier I get about it. We’ve sacrificed so much over the past 2.5 years and all we get is hate. Time for this to stop.
I’m in an office with the same issues. We absolutely care, we’re just stretched to thin!!!
DeleteNever one to defend the SSA. But this seems like a fairly common mixup. Wondering if even a private organization can make these types of mistakes. Seems like the media is kind of piling on the SSA. They deserve it in most respects. But this just seemed like a simple screwup.
ReplyDeleteLet me take your income for 5 or 6 months and see if you feel the same way 1:47
ReplyDeleteDid the article say she was not getting SSA retirement? Perhaps her widow benefit is only $20. It doesn't excuse poor service but it's difficult to tell how much of a hardship this untimely processing really was.
DeleteThe article says she was due $255 plus $90 per month for the last 6 months, so she'll get about $800 and then $90 per month going forward.
ReplyDeleteCharles likes posting news articles that don’t give the entire story.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteIf everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority. We have to process the true dire need cases first, and initial awards.
But other cases which are not priority are worked based upon age of the cases. That is the way it should be.
Cases should not be pushed to the top of the queue just because someone complains, that disadvantages other claimants and attorneys.
Again, failure of leadership. In general, for the past 2.5 years the only people in the office trying to do non-portable work and manage staff - and address everything else that comes up (facilities issues, drafting communication plans that no one will ever look at, etc...) have been managers (two or three people). The staff was not allowed to even set foot in the office without special permission for until spring of 2022. Now staff is generally teleworking three to four days per week in the hearing offices... so managers are still trying to do most of the in office duties. As for operations... their managers have been stretched thin as well and in office staff is also limited. The whole situation is sad. Staff is suffering and public service is the worst because limited staff cannot keep up. Many people who work for SSA are dedicated to public service. They are overwhelmed with the avalanche of need ... and interrupted by more and more diversity, equity, communication, etc... trainings that take them away from actually doing public service.
ReplyDeleteWhen a request for hearing on a paper case sits in an office for a year without being processed even though multiple calls are made to the local office, the regional office, and there is a congressional inquiry and it still takes the filing for a Writ of Mandamus in federal court to get it processed, no one cares. When someone lies to the congressman's office telling them that it was processed, no one cares. When the hearing office director files a perjured affidavit in federal court trying to say that the case would not have been granted a hearing any sooner had it been processed timely, no one cares. I'm sure there are some caring people that work in these offices. And, I know you guys are overwhelmed. But, there are some situations that are inexcusable and, in those situations, there should be some accountability. But, there isn't. And, that's the problem. Perhaps one of you guys can explain to me why it is acceptable to routinely lie about whether documents have been recieved. We send everything by certified mail. When we call to check on why something hasn't been processed, we are routinely told that the document was never received. When we tell them who signed for it and when, it suddenly appears. This happens across offices and is routine. Can you caring people tell me why such dishonestly is routinely acceptable?
ReplyDeleteBecause there is no accountability.
DeleteBecause tippy top management does not care of you do it correctly only that it is counted on some arbitrary production list.
The one true way to get something fixed is to go to the media. Tippy top management hates that kind of spotlight.
Out there somewhere is some junior producer looking to make a name for themselves, well here is a golden opportunity.
5:50 that is a flat out lie. I quit SSA, one of my "mentors" told me, "when in doubt, just deny, they have the right to appeal" and he meant it. The things told to me in training were enough to turn my stomach and I quit as soon as I found a new position. The view they hold of the public and those applying for benefits is disgusting.
ReplyDeleteSorry you didn’t care, but I do and most of the people I work with do as well.
DeleteNo one came make you do “bad” work. Have some integrity and do the right thing to fullest extent the law allows.