From the Citizens’ Voice in Pennsylvania:
The labor union leader for employees at the Social Security Administration Data Operations Center in Plains Twp. said she can’t understand how the vital facility ended up on a government sales list earlier this week.
The facility is the lone one in the country that does what it does, said Barri Sue Bryant, head of the local American Federation of Government Employees, who represents more than 1,000 workers there.
“We are the only one left. We are necessary,” Bryant said. “I don’t think much thought went into that list at all.”
Earlier this week, the General Services Administration identified the local Social Security facility as one of 433 “non-core assets” the government wants to sell. By the next day, the list was removed from the agency’s website, replaced by a “coming soon” message. …
Bryant said the Social Security call center — which employs more than 1,100 people — does vital work.’
Between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31, the center handled 1.23 million customer service calls to help people with their Social Security benefits, she said.
During that time, the staff responded to 140,000 emails, processed over 84,000 retirement claims and processed more than 4,000 disability claims, Bryant said. ..
13 comments:
Two possible reasons. 1. Facilities will be retained, but government will now pay rent to the new owner. Speculate as you may who that new owner will be. 2. Facilities will be shut and outsourced. Can’t yet predict into which category each building will fall.
Wondering what they'll do with DDSs across the nation. Trim the fat, and leave the lean meat.
Gov’t will sell the land cheap and will eventually rent to the government increasing the cost year after year for a lifetime of earnings and because it’s the government - they will pay.
DDS’ are run by the state government, FO are Federal
Hmm... they get the fed money from someone.
This was quite simply yet another example of DOGE not knowing what they are doing.
And why are vital SSA employees, such as front line employees, and computer programmers, being offered a monthly of administrative leave and 20K to quit or retire? I've heard some of the best employees in the payment centers and systems have accepted the buy outs.
SSA should be offering them inducements to stay, such as 100% telework. Not holding the door open for them to leave.
or 3. DOGE indiscriminately hacking at vital government programs and facilities like a blindfolded kid going after a pinata.
Because the U.S. is so large and diverse, the country was broken down into 10 specific geographic Regions. Most agencies use the 10 Region model to ensure all U.S> citizens are serviced. SSA going from 10 Regions to 4 is utter stupidity and does not save much of anything. Those Regional employees support the unique demographic characteristics of their area. To replace or relocated them farther from their service area makes no sense (and cents). Boston staffs would have no local knowledge of Philadelphia and vice versa. This is downsizing using a hatchet and not a scalpel. It will very quickly come back to haunt SSA and those remaining employees.
Apologies, after researching I didn’t realize the federal government fully funds the state DDS offices and reimburses the DDS for 100% of all expenditures related to disability processing. Will be interesting to see how this is cut along with Medicaid cuts.
Yes federally funded DDS. This new regime can cut off funds at any new whim of theirs apparently
You want 100% telework for employees who were fired as an incentive to return to the Titanic and give up a 20k in buyout money? What planet are you living in? Telework is not coming back.
It’s alarming how many experts are leaving in Systems (OCIO)! :-(
Anything can happen. However, the role of DDSs are mandated through the CFR. SO, legally, it'd be tough. But, this admin doesn't care about "legally". With that said, and I never get an answer to this, is who would magically take over the 1 million cases pending at DDSs? Insurance companies? And how many people die while that transition takes place? Again, some don't care, but voters -- and congress-- would.
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