From USA Today:
… Social Security Administration employees at processing centers generally prioritize new claims and appeals each day. In late May, employees at many of the nation's eight processing centers were told to put Social Security Fairness Act payments [to address WEP and GPO cases] at the top of their work list and were offered weekend overtime to get it done. …
A half-dozen employees at several of the nation's Social Security processing centers said they were told that the new commissioner wants all of the Social Security Fairness Act claims resolved by July 1, and that they also need to address a backlog of claims that has built up. …
Employees who received the order said they were told they cannot help with non-priority issues like overpayment reconsideration, updating direct deposit information, checking on monthly payment rates, and Medicare billing related issues. …
The East Coast employee said he’s having to tell caller after caller that he cannot address their Social Security-related need for the next month, which results in both him and his manager being yelled at all day. …
16 comments:
Why is WEP and GPO being prioritized? The reason is that that TACO Man wants it done ASAP. Cancer and survivors applications go to back of the line.
Social Security fairness act is the only priority the agency has, all other work is frozen
Exactly. People already getting generous pensions getting pushed to the front of the line to get their couple hundred extra dollars per month, while people applying for benefits in general are pushed aside. Go figure.
There is NOTHING fair about the act! Another transfer of wealth at the expense of the trust fund and future generations. Talk about greedy little titty babies! Let’s face it, CONGRESS has no idea how the RIB formula works or else they would have NEVER passed this sham of a bill! And to add insult to injury, they have to be prioritized over people that are 100 times more deserving! SMDH!
The “ Fairness Act” is an easy way to deplete the trust fund. Where is impoundment act when we really need it. Notice that the supporters are not saying a word since they are vacationing with the new found money.
Telling the public we can't help them, or even talk about your issue, for another month will surely get the public's and politician's attention. This will garner attention to the issues and should get prompt action from it. Keep it up.
This Act was passed by a bipartisan Congress and signed by President Biden.
I think the argument for reducing or eliminating WEP is much better than eliminating GPO. Why didn't they just adjust it so perhaps the first $1000 in government pension would be excluded. Those with small pensions would get relief. Now people that get $10,000 a month can draw spouses or survivors benefits.
It is a priority focus at the detriment of everyone else. First they pulled people from the WSU to process new initial claims ICTU style from the 800#. Filed RIB online? Too bad, you wait.
Now those are done but now we shift PC resources? Critical issues and cases wait MONTHS and now those who already have a pension take priority over those truly desperate.
I wish the media would start caring.
How about they priorotize the favorable cases waiting to be paid by the Court Case Branch. These are routinley taking 12-18 months now.
@2:35 Agreed. I found the effects of WEP could be harsh, especially for families with two equal breadwinners
They can get to the back of the line -- nothing makes them special and this law was passed in Jan. -- less than six months ago. The new COSS has no idea what workloads have been pending and for how long. Decimating Operations and Regional staff and leaving all the YES people who don't know and won't admit to what's pending... Frank's about to find out pretty quick just what devastation DOGE and Dudek have done. And legal advocates like Justice in Aging just need to pick up a few savvy former OPS SMEs and the Agency is toast. A flood of litigation is on the horizon.
I got a raise in my SS retirement from $49 a month to $303 per month. No i'm not vacationing on that. And I'm not greedy, I worked long hours at very low pay, before minimum wages applied to hotel and restaurant workers, to get that. Some of you people need to get out of your ivory towers.
“ And I'm not greedy, I worked long hours at very low pay, before minimum wages applied to hotel and restaurant workers, to get that”
You’re not a long term, low-wage earner. You had a a government pension job that also gave you income that you didn’t have to pay FICA on. You shouldn’t be treated like a long term, low wage earner in the eyes of SSA. It’s been beaten to death on this forum how WEP/GPO were entirely fair and you actually are greedy.
This likely explains why my request for a call back from the PC has not been responded to since 6/2/25. I am now unable to request another call back as my prior requst is still in queue in the system. Great work SSA. Let everything else go to $h1+ while you appease a tiny constiuency.
“ This likely explains why my request for a call back from the PC has not been responded to since 6/2/25. I am now unable to request another call back as my prior requst is still in queue in the system. Great work SSA.”
Are you a member of the public? If so, why are you even bothering calling the PC? The more time they have to spend/dealing with calls from the public, the less work they can actually do. Your contact point is your local FO.
"You’re not a long term, low-wage earner. You had a a government pension job that also gave you income that you didn’t have to pay FICA on. You shouldn’t be treated like a long term, low wage earner in the eyes of SSA. It’s been beaten to death on this forum how WEP/GPO were entirely fair and you actually are greedy.
9:23 PM, June 04, 2025"
You have no idea how long I worked under FICA. Or anything else about my work history. I didn't advocate for the bill to be passed, so no, you have no right to call me greedy. You sound unreasonably bitter. Maybe you should seek help for that.
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