From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
The Trump Administration deliberately caused the loss of an unprecedented number of workers from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in its first year in office, reducing staffing by roughly 7,500 employees (13 percent) from January 2025 to January 2026.
New data from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reveal more about how the resulting short-staffing of critical functions is degrading service for the largely older, bereaved, and severely disabled people who most rely on SSA and creating challenges that will be difficult to turn around without major changes. …
One area of SSA operations affected by both staffing losses and reduced transparency is the large and growing backlog of hearings for people appealing SSA’s denial of their application for disability benefits. The number of cases pending rose by more than 73,000 from January 2025 to February 2026, threatening harm for some of the most vulnerable people SSA serves …
By January 2026, SSA had fewer employees than at any time since 1967, when the agency was not yet responsible for administering Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and served 52 million fewer beneficiaries. …
You don’t have to be Einstein to make this analysis.
ReplyDeleteHiding metrics? Like telling FO to not scan things to WorkTrack and the get rid of things that are over 30-days. Doesn’t matter if you actually make the input. Just get it out of WorkTrack. Now there is no trackable backlog of work…
ReplyDeleteWT is a fantastic tool,
DeleteZero punishment for those that cheat!
Not sure who is telling you to not scan to WorkTrack. The directive is to make the inputs to get the work established and pending on the proper list, then upload to EP or eView.
DeleteAdjudication time is cancelled. Phones, 800#, front desk, claims, repeat. No time to make inputs. Coming from CO to ROs that no-tolerance nothing over 30-days. Get rid of it by 30 days or don’t scan in the first place. Doesn’t matter if action is actually done
DeleteNope, but when the Commissioner is as stupid as Frank is, you can make a killing by convincing him that half-baked chatbots can make up for all the slack. And when the population is as intellectually handicapped as America‘s, you can avoid any blame by just telling them the real problem is Hillary Clinton, lazy bureaucrats, muslims, the jews and so on.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot windmills.
DeleteThe only one to blame is Frank. He answers to no one and all employees on the GS scale, Area Directors and below, are beneath him.
DeleteOne year....exactly, to the DAY. That's how long it took SSA to process my move. Yes, sure, I sold one house and bought another, but it wasn't that complicated. I think the rep working my case just didn't like me? I didn't even leave state! It's been a mess. I called 37 times in a year... finally called my congress peeps. I told SSA if I appeal I will go right to a judge, I HAD all the proof I needed on spend-down, and so did they, since LAST MARCH. I dunno what was up with the person working my case other than a VERY LARGE caseload, tho I'd think they'd want me outta their hair. I just sadly picture the employees' there as stacks of papers sitting at desks. Glad to have that finally taken care of. FINALLY. 😓. It's been a rough year with SSA. The dark cloud over my head has passed......for now. Never once was I was I rude, nor did I yell or disrespect them. I said thank you even if the rep didn't help, or told me the same things I already knew. I respect everyone that works at SSA, I'm sure it's been a rough year for them too. So to all you workers at SSA. Thank you. 😊
ReplyDelete