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.
40 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?
40 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.
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