Poll On SSA As Employer

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Charlotte TV Station Reports On Hearing Backlogs

WCNC of Charlotte, NC has posted the first of a two part investigative report on the frustrations that Social Security disability claimants face with high denial rates at the initial and reconsideration levels and the long, long wait time for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings.

The TV station is running this during sweeps week, a time when they know that the Nielsen organization is looking at their viewership, in order to report on it to advertisers. This is the time of the year when TV stations make a special effort to run their most interesting material.

Results Of Last Week's Unscientific Survey

Social Security Hearing Backlog Poll
What sort of hearing backlog should Social Security be shooting for as an ULTIMATE GOAL?

0-3 months (15)	17%
3-6 months (34)	39%
6-9 months (17)	20%
9-12 months (9)	10%
12-18 months (12)	14%

Total Votes: 87

An Image From The Pre-History Of Social Security In the U.S.

Woman Lies To Continue Collecting Widows Benefits

The Associated Press reports that Jennifer Gimbel formerly of Carroll County, MD, but now living in Arizona, has pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud for telling Social Security that she had not remarried when she had. Her deception allowed her to receive widow's benefits.

Wall Street Journal On Garnishment Of Social Security Benefits

Take a look at this video from the Wall Street Journal on garnishment of bank accounts containing only Social Security benefits. The Social Security Act prohibits virtually any attachment of Social Security benefits, which includes garnishment and, arguably, bank setoffs. This has been interpreted to mean that bank accounts containing only Social Security benefits are also exempt from attachment. Despite this, garnishment and setoffs of bank accounts containing only Social Security benefits happen routinely.

Who knew that the Wall Street Journal was multi-media?

Time Of Hearing Changed

The House Social Security Subcommittee has changed the time of its May 1 hearing on the hiring of Administrative Law Judges by Social Security from 10:00 to 11:00.

New Privacy Act Regulations

The Social Security Administration has issued new final rules concerning the Privacy Act, covering, in particular, releases of information to Social Security claimants.