Social Security is in the midst of a major national IT failure. Every time I hear an estimate on when it will be fixed it's later than the last estimate I heard. They're now saying early afternoon Eastern time but who knows whether that will hold?
Are the field offices able to service walk-ins? Scheduled appointments? Able to do anything? Are the payment centers able to get any work done? What about the teleservice centers? Are hearings being held?
Update: This is from Social Security's website:
Social Security’s personalized services - online and in-person - are temporarily unavailable while we address an IT hardware issue. We continue to answer general questions by telephone on our 800 number and in our local offices, while offices are temporarily closed to in-person service. We are working to quickly resolve the issue today and apologize for the inconvenience.
Update: They've made progress. I was able to get in ERE at 3:20 pm EDT.
we've been told to cancel all hearings prior to 11:00 AM EST.
ReplyDelete“ Field Office reception areas and hearing offices are closed to customer walk-in traffic until the situation is resolved.”
ReplyDeleteI don’t know why they needed to close offices to the public. They could have been accepting forms and documents Distributing forms and helping complete them. Giving information. Could announce to people as they came in re no computer access and those people could leave and come back. They could answer general questions. Otherwise per the announcement
ReplyDelete1055 if you don’t have access to a computer you may not give accurate information. It’s like not having electricity. No reason to open the doors to the public
ReplyDeleteI don’t know what the piece of hardware was that failed but how does SSA not have a backup for something that literally has crippled the agency with a failure?
ReplyDelete1:25 you would think there would be backup/redundancy
ReplyDelete1:06. You do not need a computer to hand someone a 3369 or application form that tells them what I need. You do not need a computer to accept records that were requested by DDS and fax it to them. You do not need a computer to provide basic information about the program requirements
ReplyDeleteThe library can print those forms as the SSA website has them available.
DeleteYou need a computer to print the form. We don’t have random forms just laying around other than ss5’s.
Delete159 you do need a working computer to access the forms. The fax machines in work track are down. As a CS without looking up a claimants information and background history. Giving out general information leads to mis information and frustration. So it’s best to have your tool box as a CS vs handing out random facts
ReplyDeleteToday was a complete washout in PC7. PCOM and EVIEW still down. Employees could not work cases today. Most employees have left for the day. . Add another day, to the cases in the backlogs.
ReplyDeleteWe are now able to get into ERE as of 2:00 CT
ReplyDeleteWe were unable to do anything. We answered the phone to tell people our systems are down call back Monday. Instead of Commissioner TikTok making all his videos, SSA could downs more on shoring up our systems. I wonder if this is due to the Agency rushing to have everything converted to web based programs? As for paper forms, we do not have any on hand therefore of the are not on the SSA.gov website (not sure if it was working) then we could not get paper forms. Why were not sent home and then told if the system came back we would telework. Instead we sat around doing nothing! Le sigh! 4 more years and I am out the door. I am a true generalist and TE, that will be 27 yrs of knowledge and experience out the door because I cannot take it anymore.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your years of service, 5:11. Know you made a difference. d:-)
DeletePC7 panicked and cancelled Saturday overtime, announced it around 1:00 pm. This evening we received news that everything is working, IT problems resolved. Still overtime remains cancelled, so that will be 2 days of work missed for many people.
ReplyDelete. Why were not sent home and then told if the system came back we would telework. Instead we sat around doing nothing!
ReplyDeleteI want to get this straight. You wanted to telework so you can do what type of SSA work from home? Watch television? Doing laundry? Catch on your sleep? Our tax dollars being put to good use!
You missed the concept of their comment so, no you didn’t get it straight. You swung and missed the point. “Your” tax dollars were wasted due to IT being down for so long. Not because of employees on the front line waiting around for hours to do their jobs. They could have gone home and accomplished their jobs had the system came back online. Simple math. That’s the point. I found it for you!
DeleteWhat is the difference if we sat in the office doing nothing vs home? Reading comprehension is a lost art. At home IF the system came back we could log in and work! Not just sit around even if the system came back.
DeleteI’m wondering why SSA doesn’t have a back up plan when the computers are down. Has the agency heard of paper applications for Social Security number or disability? Telling the public to go home and do nothing is unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteMost of the paper forms have been removed from offices because we can now get everything online! Obviously that is IF we have access to the form system.
DeleteJust curious, have you ever worked in a field office? Also curious, how do you take disability application appointments when you don’t have any record of who has an appointment? And even if you did the application on paper (as we did for those who called in asking about why they weren’t called for their appointment), you still have to recontact them to attest and you have to key in everything you on the paper forms. Something that takes an hour has now taken 2.
DeleteOh, as for the SSN card applications, the complication with doing that on paper is you have now way of determining what is on SSA records. Someone can come in for a simple replacement, but we discover the name/DOB is incorrect. You then have to recontact the applicant (fat chance of getting through to them). Not to mention, when will staff have time to key these applications? The work always comes in. Operating hours never reduce.
Delete8:16. If they had been allowed to telework they could have put several more hours of work in after 3:00 pm when system went back up. It was my telework day anyway so that is what I was able to do.
ReplyDeleteIn the past the reliance on the computer was not as prevalent as today but somehow the job got done at a slower pace.
ReplyDeleteTell me you haven’t worked in a field office in the last five years without telling me. Handing out paper forms makes for more backlog.
ReplyDelete