The Office of Civil Rights at Social Security has been abolished. The employees of that office have been placed on Administrative Leave for 30 days before being fired.
71 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I was shocked when an email was sent out Friday advising of the resources available on the OCREO intranet site. Wondered if something was coming, because otherwise it was just asking for a target.
Lee Dudek is angling for a permanent job in the Trump administration.
The Social Security Administration today announced the closing of a component within the agency, the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity. Employees in this office will be put on administrative leave effective today.
“Our focus is supporting President Trump’s priorities, which include streamlining functions and prioritizing essential work,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “Terminating the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, and reassigning statutory responsibilities performed by this office, advances the President’s goal to make all of government more efficient in serving the American public.”
Anyone from CREO willing to speak out and say exactly what happened? Anyone being re-assigned? Everyone being terminated? How did they allow this to happen without a formal RIF?
In case you missed it, laws and rules only work for those enforcing them. They are open to interpretation and guess who gets to interpret. Where is AFGE in all this?
AFGE reps those in BU. HR specialists not in BU to rep as far as I’ve seen. This will impact EEO claims but the manner and grounds to contest remain to be seen.
Wow! So impressed with Dudek. Getting rid of worthless components and reworking people into value-adding work. Congrats Commish, you’re doing some spectacular work!
SSA doesn't really need an office of Civil Rights. Racism and sexism are not the problem they were 50 years ago, and the offices which dealt with them were not meant to be permanent.
Unfortunately, in recent years we have seen unrealistic claims of non-existent discrimination, which all too often were successful due to DEI policies at SSA.
That being said, the people in the Civil Rights area at SSA should be given the opportunity to transfer elsewhere within the agency. They should not be fired.
On a 3pm EST call this afternoon the ACOSS told the DCs/execs that he wanted a plan to cut 50% of ALL staff, including frontline staff, to him by tomorrow afternoon. If anyone is retirement eligible, you should go and maybe spare some of your younger colleagues who are not eligible for even VERA from being fired. “Not touching Social Security” is not the reality of this administration. Looking for government to fail and be replaced by private industry appears to be the goal.
@5:39, you are correct that the CREO employees are NBU, but AFGE and the other unions should still have a concern. CREO handles the reasonable accommodation and discrimination claims filed by the BUE.
Getting rid of the department that provides guidance on what constitutes reasonable accommodations doesn't remove the ADA's private cause of action. This is going to result in a whole bunch more lawsuits, not less.
Well that should be an easy call for Leland. Isn't SSA like 50% black? Boom, done. That would further endear him with Elon & co. - which I think is the primary motivation.
I can’t see them cutting 50% of frontline staff and thinking the public won’t raise hell. That would ensure the end of the MAGA movement, which I welcome.
Are you joking? Racism is hipper now than it’s been since the early 1960s as far as I can tell. Your whiteness and maleness are showing super clear right now.
That would be utter madness against every citizen that has paid taxes. They would be able to get no service whatsoever as the place would collapse from within. Frontline were excluded from all this mess up until now.
This post is mostly for our non-Federal employee allies within the group. I would like to explain the importance of the SSA layoffs of its Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity. I would then like to implore you to please please please bring the noise.
First, let's talk about what this office is not: DEIA, especially in the bastardized way that it has been used in this administration. There are reports made from these offices that refer to DEIA, but that is a discussion for another day.
What is EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity is created by a number of laws and regulations, too many to go into detail here. However, it was created through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Statutory regulations are covered under Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1614. Every Federal agency must have an EEO office.
Who can file an EEO complaint:
1. Applicants for Federal employment. Let's say a deaf applicant has a job interview, but the agency did not arrange for an interpreter, nor is there any other electronic means to communicate. This applicant did not get the job because they could not participate in the interview. This applicant would be able to file a complaint on the basis of disability. Only an investigation would truly determine if discrimination occurred, but the applicant has the right to file and the agency would investigate.
2. Current Federal employees. Employee is employed at ABC agency. Employee's manager issued Employee a Letter of Counseling because employee is "difficult to understand" and "frequently speaks Spanish with coworkers." This employee may have a complaint of national origin discrimination.
3. Former employees. Know all these terminations going around? Well former Federal employees also have EEO rights. Maybe they were not supplied the proper benefits when they were fired, etc.
4. Certain contractors. This comes with a lot of exceptions, too many to list here. But the EEOC has said that in certain situations, contractors may be considered "joint employees" of the agency. The EEOC looks at 12 different factors to make this determination. In cases where the agency is considered a joint employer, the agency can be found liable.
If you've hung with me so far, THANK YOU! What makes the SSA layoff so important is that the press release stated that the "functions" will remain - yet all of the experts in these fields (I didn't even get to reasonable accommodation, which protects and assists employees with disabilities) have been let go.
There are a ton of nuances in the law of these areas. People take years to become subject-matter experts. This layoff is showing that the agency may intend to comply with the law on paper,, while also realistically stripping people of their civil rights. Basically, they found the loophole. And we cannot let it stand.
I also want to add that I'm 99% sure these individuals were in non-bargaining unit positions. Not by choice, but because of the nature of the work and the need to see personnel records. So there will be no union fighting for them. And that's just another reason why EEO is so important - both bargaining and non-bargaining individuals can file.
Please contact your representatives. We cannot allow this to continue to happen. Not if we value civil rights for all.
So ummm, are they focusing on the RIF and firing right now? So is there any update on the RTO?
Btw I don't believe in the above 50% cut claims. And if it is true, I felt he is just trying too hard (like every bootlicker) to impress the higher up, and certainly would backfire.
Let me bring order to the whole. The 50% comment is total made-up BS. Someone is on here trolling. Sorry, it didn't happen, I would know. Second don't shed tears for OCREO: 99% of civil rights cases brought against the agency are pure garbage. As one commenter astutely observed, they were a division built to fight a problem that doesn't exist. I'm sure the Commissioner can find a spot for them answering phones once the admin leave is up.
My guess is DCO will try to save as many of the front lines employees as possible by cutting all DCO HQ employees, ROs, front office support staff, any OCO non-production employees 1st then cut from FOs, TSCs, PCs/PSCs last.
I'm not familiar with that office's work, but it is a bad look for an agency dedicated to serving people with disabilities to cut staff that handles disability rights issues. Has the Section 504 staff that helps claimants and beneficiaries with accommodations also been targeted for reduction?
I know lots of people say RO and CO are worthless, but they also do a lot of work. Unfortunately I’m afraid you are right and it’s easy to just fire them with the “someone else can do it” response
How can we believe you that you would know? Drop a hint that lets us know you actually work for SSA and actually work somewhere in the agency that actually matters in making and disseminating information like this. How do we know you have any ties to SSA, let alone HQ or the ACOSS.
@ 10:19 The 10 regions are not redundant. Each region assists with critical frontline activities for several states. For example, the Phila. Region assists: PA, VA, WV, DE, MD and DC. We also control all the critical functions for our regions 16 DDS offices, and we provide assistance to non-SSA Federal agencies including: IRS, US Treasury and the Railroad Board. We service approximately 7,000 people, and most regions have less than 100 people. We are swamped with technically challenging work. I am so frustrated by commenters that attack us. The frontline would collaspe without us.
The general public will not know the difference if operational staff are cut. Wait times will be longer, but for most folks they do not know the wait times today. Where the general public will be up in arms is if you reduce their retirement or disability benefits. A DOGE check is not going to cut it.
To whoever was in the meeting with the ACOSS yesterday at the 3 pm meeting yesterday, it is imperative that the public know about his planned cut of 50% of SSA staff. Millions of vulnerable Americans rely on SSA everyday (including the elderly and disabled) to provide a certain level of dignity to their lives. I implore you to contact the press (Washington post, ny times, Wall Street (Ken Thomas is SSA reporter). A 50% cut in staff will undoubtedly affect the ability of these individuals to receive their EARNED benefits. #saveSSA
The people that I know were also fired with no option for reassignment. It’s a shame because my friend who was fired is an attorney and used to work for OHO. It seems like a missed opportunity for the agency to gain a ready-trained operational staff member.
I've had it with the insults and threats from Trump, Musk and certain other ignorant GOP Congresspeople. My retirement forms are completed, all I have to do is fill in the date and click "submit". I'm waiting for RTO date, then retiring the day before.
I'm a SSA front line worker. I wonder how many more are like me, and will soon be walking rather than resuming 5 days a week of commuting.
So what you are saying, despite 30 years of research showing otherwise, is that minorities get the same approval rates and non minorities and there is zero bias at SSA when it comes to things like disability. You truly want us to believe that? digitus impudicus
Can someone clarify the plan for closing CREO? What is the dismissal rationale? Was it a RIF or just removal letters? CREO isn’t represented by a BU so any helper can provide to them starts with understanding what is happening to them.
LMAO if you think this is true you must be a white dude. SSA’s staff below SES is very diverse, and yet SES and upper mgmt all white dudes with few exceptions and less education than most of the GS-12s.
Lost numerous class actions for failing to promote more qualified black men forever because racism, which they freely admit in the filings. Literally read any SSA case/ruling/settlement and it will be there regardless of whether the employee won that case. People say biased things unabashedly in training, meetings, decisions, emails. Seriously bizarre take if you work there.
There is no plan, and they are not following federal employment laws, so there little to understand other than the administration's belief that might makes right.
MSPB and the courts are the only recourse, although this administration is likely to just ignore the courts.
If they want cuts, just open VERSA/early out to operations employees. It would clear out fast. All of frontline heavy lifters were excluded from early out & DOGE's "resignation buyout" b.s. With early out I could haul ass with unreduced pension & get a part-time remote job with private industry (already been looking). F the mess. Employees are burned out & fed up. Dudek better stay away from windows. Bisignano better have his eyebrows painted on straight & his wig taped down real good.
Yep, if they wanted people out, they shouldn't have exempted basically every frontline employee from taking either the fork offer (dubious as it was) or VERA.
Load of crap. RO's, just like HQ, make more busy work for frontline employees. If you're talking PSCs, that's something different and can be separated from RO management, which is redundant. There is no legitimate need for 10 regions. Upgrade the servers and cut out middle and useless upper management.
So the OPM guidance today seems to match with the info coming out that all of SSA is on the hook. The memo specifically mentions consolidating customer service facing components to reduce agency footprints and FTEs. The initial proposal is to keep closing level 2 offices (I think DOGE is letting 10 expire) and consolidate locations and RIF excess employees. Also removing duplicate management, so ADM in a level 1 will probably get RIF’d, excess TEs, MSS I. Offices with multiple OS’s etc. The regional offices will also be targeted for RIF as much work can be outsourced to contractors, per the OPM memo. Centers will be consolidated across the country and excess employees RIF’d. Same in HQ, middle level management is on the line and services subject to contracting out will also be used to reduce FTE’s. Initial plans are due March 14 and OPM is planning to grant blanket RIF waivers to allow for a 30 day notice rather than 60. This is significant and is government wide. Not just SSA.
71 comments:
I was shocked when an email was sent out Friday advising of the resources available on the OCREO intranet site. Wondered if something was coming, because otherwise it was just asking for a target.
I guess we know something that'll be on Dudek's accomplishments email next week.
Leland Dudek - what a loser
Because a lot of people don't seem to get what any of the abolished SSA components do, here are some things the OCREO was responsible for:
Reviewing and acting on complaints of discrimination by SSA personnel against the public or as to the agency's own workforce.
Publishing guidance for businesses (as well as SSA itself) as to what are reasonable accommodations and disability services.
Lee Dudek is angling for a permanent job in the Trump administration.
The Social Security Administration today announced the closing of a component within the agency, the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity. Employees in this office will be put on administrative leave effective today.
“Our focus is supporting President Trump’s priorities, which include streamlining functions and prioritizing essential work,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “Terminating the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, and reassigning statutory responsibilities performed by this office, advances the President’s goal to make all of government more efficient in serving the American public.”
how can they do this without a formal RIF? what is the rationale?
Wondering that myself.
The rationale is retribution.
Anyone from CREO willing to speak out and say exactly what happened? Anyone being re-assigned? Everyone being terminated? How did they allow this to happen without a formal RIF?
Why are they not reassigning the people to other tasks?
Curious to know if Big Lee has the guts to inform these people in person. I am guessing no.
That is one way to get rid of reasonable accommodations, do away with the dept that approves them.
In case you missed it, laws and rules only work for those enforcing them. They are open to interpretation and guess who gets to interpret. Where is AFGE in all this?
Apparently Lee listed “fired 14 people” as one of his accomplishments that he sent to Musk.
AFGE reps those in BU. HR specialists not in BU to rep as far as I’ve seen. This will impact EEO claims but the manner and grounds to contest remain to be seen.
Wow! So impressed with Dudek. Getting rid of worthless components and reworking people into value-adding work. Congrats Commish, you’re doing some spectacular work!
Time for SSA employees to walk off the job. Or at minimum stage a slowdown. They can’t fire us all.
SSA doesn't really need an office of Civil Rights. Racism and sexism are not the problem they were 50 years ago, and the offices which dealt with them were not meant to be permanent.
Unfortunately, in recent years we have seen unrealistic claims of non-existent discrimination, which all too often were successful due to DEI policies at SSA.
That being said, the people in the Civil Rights area at SSA should be given the opportunity to transfer elsewhere within the agency. They should not be fired.
Yes - while also bragging that he brought on 9 DOGE bros. Anyone know who they are other than Elez, Killian, Rajpal, Shaotran, and Bobba?
On a 3pm EST call this afternoon the ACOSS told the DCs/execs that he wanted a plan to cut 50% of ALL staff, including frontline staff, to him by tomorrow afternoon. If anyone is retirement eligible, you should go and maybe spare some of your younger colleagues who are not eligible for even VERA from being fired. “Not touching Social Security” is not the reality of this administration. Looking for government to fail and be replaced by private industry appears to be the goal.
@5:39, you are correct that the CREO employees are NBU, but AFGE and the other unions should still have a concern. CREO handles the reasonable accommodation and discrimination claims filed by the BUE.
@4:45
Getting rid of the department that provides guidance on what constitutes reasonable accommodations doesn't remove the ADA's private cause of action. This is going to result in a whole bunch more lawsuits, not less.
Can someone verify is this is true about 50% cuts? This is big if true since they said we were too essential to take the fork offer.
Surely this isn’t true.
Well that should be an easy call for Leland. Isn't SSA like 50% black? Boom, done. That would further endear him with Elon & co. - which I think is the primary motivation.
I can’t see them cutting 50% of frontline staff and thinking the public won’t raise hell. That would ensure the end of the MAGA movement, which I welcome.
Don't threaten them with a good time
Are you joking? Racism is hipper now than it’s been since the early 1960s as far as I can tell. Your whiteness and maleness are showing super clear right now.
That would be utter madness against every citizen that has paid taxes. They would be able to get no service whatsoever as the place would collapse from within. Frontline were excluded from all this mess up until now.
https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/s/lnMPf6HLH1
Understanding the Importance of the SSA layoffs
This post is mostly for our non-Federal employee allies within the group. I would like to explain the importance of the SSA layoffs of its Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity. I would then like to implore you to please please please bring the noise.
First, let's talk about what this office is not: DEIA, especially in the bastardized way that it has been used in this administration. There are reports made from these offices that refer to DEIA, but that is a discussion for another day.
What is EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity is created by a number of laws and regulations, too many to go into detail here. However, it was created through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Statutory regulations are covered under Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1614. Every Federal agency must have an EEO office.
Who can file an EEO complaint:
1. Applicants for Federal employment. Let's say a deaf applicant has a job interview, but the agency did not arrange for an interpreter, nor is there any other electronic means to communicate. This applicant did not get the job because they could not participate in the interview. This applicant would be able to file a complaint on the basis of disability. Only an investigation would truly determine if discrimination occurred, but the applicant has the right to file and the agency would investigate.
2. Current Federal employees. Employee is employed at ABC agency. Employee's manager issued Employee a Letter of Counseling because employee is "difficult to understand" and "frequently speaks Spanish with coworkers." This employee may have a complaint of national origin discrimination.
3. Former employees. Know all these terminations going around? Well former Federal employees also have EEO rights. Maybe they were not supplied the proper benefits when they were fired, etc.
4. Certain contractors. This comes with a lot of exceptions, too many to list here. But the EEOC has said that in certain situations, contractors may be considered "joint employees" of the agency. The EEOC looks at 12 different factors to make this determination. In cases where the agency is considered a joint employer, the agency can be found liable.
If you've hung with me so far, THANK YOU! What makes the SSA layoff so important is that the press release stated that the "functions" will remain - yet all of the experts in these fields (I didn't even get to reasonable accommodation, which protects and assists employees with disabilities) have been let go.
There are a ton of nuances in the law of these areas. People take years to become subject-matter experts. This layoff is showing that the agency may intend to comply with the law on paper,, while also realistically stripping people of their civil rights. Basically, they found the loophole. And we cannot let it stand.
I also want to add that I'm 99% sure these individuals were in non-bargaining unit positions. Not by choice, but because of the nature of the work and the need to see personnel records. So there will be no union fighting for them. And that's just another reason why EEO is so important - both bargaining and non-bargaining individuals can file.
Please contact your representatives. We cannot allow this to continue to happen. Not if we value civil rights for all.
Thank you for listening :)
I know 2 people that were let go. “There is no reassignment options” is what they were told .
So ummm, are they focusing on the RIF and firing right now? So is there any update on the RTO?
Btw I don't believe in the above 50% cut claims. And if it is true, I felt he is just trying too hard (like every bootlicker) to impress the higher up, and certainly would backfire.
Dudek is a foolish puppet and I sure hope he bought professional liability insurance...cause they are coming for ya!
Also Scott coulter
This a great explanation. I 100% believe the 50% cut is coming. Very scary times now at work (I work for SSA)
Let me bring order to the whole. The 50% comment is total made-up BS. Someone is on here trolling. Sorry, it didn't happen, I would know. Second don't shed tears for OCREO: 99% of civil rights cases brought against the agency are pure garbage. As one commenter astutely observed, they were a division built to fight a problem that doesn't exist. I'm sure the Commissioner can find a spot for them answering phones once the admin leave is up.
My guess is DCO will try to save as many of the front lines employees as possible by cutting all DCO HQ employees, ROs, front office support staff, any OCO non-production employees 1st then cut from FOs, TSCs, PCs/PSCs last.
If you work at SSA then you know that racism, etc. is non-existent look at the color and gender of management.
I'm not familiar with that office's work, but it is a bad look for an agency dedicated to serving people with disabilities to cut staff that handles disability rights issues. Has the Section 504 staff that helps claimants and beneficiaries with accommodations also been targeted for reduction?
They were cut for redundancy. You've got about 10 regions and half of OGC doing that exact same work.
Disabled individuals fell under this category too, hello??
I know lots of people say RO and CO are worthless, but they also do a lot of work. Unfortunately I’m afraid you are right and it’s easy to just fire them with the “someone else can do it” response
How can we believe you that you would know? Drop a hint that lets us know you actually work for SSA and actually work somewhere in the agency that actually matters in making and disseminating information like this. How do we know you have any ties to SSA, let alone HQ or the ACOSS.
@ 10:19 The 10 regions are not redundant. Each region assists with critical frontline activities for several states. For example, the Phila. Region assists: PA, VA, WV, DE, MD and DC. We also control all the critical functions for our regions 16 DDS offices, and we provide assistance to non-SSA Federal agencies including: IRS, US Treasury and the Railroad Board. We service approximately 7,000 people, and most regions have less than 100 people. We are swamped with technically challenging work. I am so frustrated by commenters that attack us. The frontline would collaspe without us.
The general public will not know the difference if operational staff are cut. Wait times will be longer, but for most folks they do not know the wait times today. Where the general public will be up in arms is if you reduce their retirement or disability benefits. A DOGE check is not going to cut it.
Well, if you cut 50% of the employees, cube space and parking won’t be a problem when they implement RTO.
@9:44 please stop projecting you know. The DCs are having to present their proposal of cutting staff. Stay tuned, you will see soon enough.
do they get severance? why only 30 days? are they truly fired? how can that be legal? why no re-assignment?
To whoever was in the meeting with the ACOSS yesterday at the 3 pm meeting yesterday, it is imperative that the public know about his planned cut of 50% of SSA staff. Millions of vulnerable Americans rely on SSA everyday (including the elderly and disabled) to provide a certain level of dignity to their lives. I implore you to contact the press (Washington post, ny times, Wall Street (Ken Thomas is SSA reporter). A 50% cut in staff will undoubtedly affect the ability of these individuals to receive their EARNED benefits. #saveSSA
If your a white male,thank god.
Everyone else will be screwed by the trump administration.
The people that I know were also fired with no option for reassignment. It’s a shame because my friend who was fired is an attorney and used to work for OHO. It seems like a missed opportunity for the agency to gain a ready-trained operational staff member.
A fat foolish puppet?
Thinking they only deal with race discrimination is showing your ignorance. Thanks for playing
I've had it with the insults and threats from Trump, Musk and certain other ignorant GOP Congresspeople. My retirement forms are completed, all I have to do is fill in the date and click "submit". I'm waiting for RTO date, then retiring the day before.
I'm a SSA front line worker. I wonder how many more are like me, and will soon be walking rather than resuming 5 days a week of commuting.
Sleazy Lee is the real unelected bureaucrat.
10:19 I am getting a Dudek vibe.
Mrs. Dudek?
Would love to know the data sources you're relying on for these absolutely baseless statements.
So what you are saying, despite 30 years of research showing otherwise, is that minorities get the same approval rates and non minorities and there is zero bias at SSA when it comes to things like disability. You truly want us to believe that? digitus impudicus
Leland is that you?
Can someone clarify the plan for closing CREO? What is the dismissal rationale? Was it a RIF or just removal letters? CREO isn’t represented by a BU so any helper can provide to them starts with understanding what is happening to them.
LMAO if you think this is true you must be a white dude. SSA’s staff below SES is very diverse, and yet SES and upper mgmt all white dudes with few exceptions and less education than most of the GS-12s.
Lost numerous class actions for failing to promote more qualified black men forever because racism, which they freely admit in the filings. Literally read any SSA case/ruling/settlement and it will be there regardless of whether the employee won that case. People say biased things unabashedly in training, meetings, decisions, emails. Seriously bizarre take if you work there.
There is no plan, and they are not following federal employment laws, so there little to understand other than the administration's belief that might makes right.
MSPB and the courts are the only recourse, although this administration is likely to just ignore the courts.
If they want cuts, just open VERSA/early out to operations employees. It would clear out fast. All of frontline heavy lifters were excluded from early out & DOGE's "resignation buyout" b.s. With early out I could haul ass with unreduced pension & get a part-time remote job with private industry (already been looking). F the mess. Employees are burned out & fed up. Dudek better stay away from windows. Bisignano better have his eyebrows painted on straight & his wig taped down real good.
Can also confirm this 50% thing is very real.
Yep, if they wanted people out, they shouldn't have exempted basically every frontline employee from taking either the fork offer (dubious as it was) or VERA.
Load of crap. RO's, just like HQ, make more busy work for frontline employees. If you're talking PSCs, that's something different and can be separated from RO management, which is redundant. There is no legitimate need for 10 regions. Upgrade the servers and cut out middle and useless upper management.
Right?!
So the OPM guidance today seems to match with the info coming out that all of SSA is on the hook. The memo specifically mentions consolidating customer service facing components to reduce agency footprints and FTEs. The initial proposal is to keep closing level 2 offices (I think DOGE is letting 10 expire) and consolidate locations and RIF excess employees. Also removing duplicate management, so ADM in a level 1 will probably get RIF’d, excess TEs, MSS I. Offices with multiple OS’s etc. The regional offices will also be targeted for RIF as much work can be outsourced to contractors, per the OPM memo. Centers will be consolidated across the country and excess employees RIF’d. Same in HQ, middle level management is on the line and services subject to contracting out will also be used to reduce FTE’s. Initial plans are due March 14 and OPM is planning to grant blanket RIF waivers to allow for a 30 day notice rather than 60. This is significant and is government wide. Not just SSA.
10:19. - you are wrong about OGC handling OCREO work. OGC represents SSA when someone brings an EEO claim against the agency.
@11:00AM That's all I need is a VERA and I will gladly roll tomorrow.
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