Today's Jacksonville, FL Times-Union has a story on the severe backlogs facing Social Security disability claimants awaiting a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge on a Social Security disability claim.
Oct 14, 2008
Backlog Report
Click on each of the thumbnails to see a September 3, 2008 report that the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) obtained from the Social Security Administration on backlogs of claimants awaiting hearings on their Social Security disability claims at each of the hearing offices, each of Social Security's regions and nationally.
Compare the state of the national backlog over time:
- January 25, 2007 -- 508 days
- May 25, 2007 -- 523 days
- July 28, 2007 -- 528 days
- August 31, 2007 -- 523 days
- November 30, 2007 -- 500 days
- February 29, 2008 -- 511 days
- May 30, 2008 -- 523 days
- June 27, 2008 -- 529 days
- July 31, 2008 -- 530 days
- September 3, 2008 -- 532 days
AARP Makes A Mistake
Social Security has released an emergency message to its staff because of an error made by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) in its Bulletin. In its "Ask the Experts" column, AARP stated that a 62 year old person who lacked sufficient work credits could obtain Social Security benefits on the account of their 64 year old spouse, even though that spouse was still working and had not applied for Social Security retirement benefits. Serious mistake. AARP needs better experts.
Oct 13, 2008
Draft Of Frequently Asked Questions
On the separate Social Security Perspectives blog I have posted a draft of an update to my Frequently Asked Questions. I am posting them to ask for comments. Do you think any of the answers are wrong or misleading or outdated? Are there other questions that I ought to include?
These FAQs have been used with my consent by the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) and a few others and illegally by many more. You may freely link to this draft of the FAQs, but you ought to wait until I finalize them. You may not simply steal them however. Copying them, with or without attribution, and using them elsewhere, whether online or offline, without my permission is a copyright violation or to be more blunt, theft. That is illegal and can get you in trouble.
These FAQs have been used with my consent by the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) and a few others and illegally by many more. You may freely link to this draft of the FAQs, but you ought to wait until I finalize them. You may not simply steal them however. Copying them, with or without attribution, and using them elsewhere, whether online or offline, without my permission is a copyright violation or to be more blunt, theft. That is illegal and can get you in trouble.
Results Of Last Week's Unscientific Poll
What effect will the Presidential election results have on Michael Astrue's future as Commissioner of Social Security?
| McCain will be elected and Astrue will continue as Commissioner (1) | 1% |
| |
| McCain will be elected, but Astrue will decide to resign (1) | 1% |
| |
| Obama will be elected and Astrue will continue as Commissioner (18) | 24% |
| |
| Obama will be elected and Astrue will decide to resign (21) | 28% |
| |
| Obama will be elected, Astrue will try to stay as Commissioner, but Obama and other Democrats will force Astrue to leave (33) | 45% |
|
Total Votes: 74
Oct 12, 2008
Investigations Of Management Personnel
The National Council of Social Security Management Associations (NCSSMA), an organization of Social Security management personnel, puts out a newsletter. I think they aim to publish it four times a year, but do not always succeed. They have just put out a special issue of their newsletter devoted to one topic, non-criminal investigations of Social Security management personnel. They are concerned that their members are not receiving fair and equitable treatment. This is not the first time that this matter has been covered in the NCSSMA newsletter, but they really seem upset now.
It is interesting that NCSSMA emphasizes in the newsletter that they are not a union. Since NCSSMA members are supervisory personnel, I suppose that it would be impossible for NCSSMA to become a union. However, NCSSMA wants its members treated as well as union members when they are investigated.
This is reminiscent of the way that the Administrative Law Judge Association (AALJ) became a union. The AALJ members were concerned that Social Security management was not treating ALJs as well as it treated union members. Now, Social Security management personnel are concerned that they are not being treated as well as union members. NCSSMA's concerns cannot be a good thing for the Social Security Administration.
It is interesting that NCSSMA emphasizes in the newsletter that they are not a union. Since NCSSMA members are supervisory personnel, I suppose that it would be impossible for NCSSMA to become a union. However, NCSSMA wants its members treated as well as union members when they are investigated.
This is reminiscent of the way that the Administrative Law Judge Association (AALJ) became a union. The AALJ members were concerned that Social Security management was not treating ALJs as well as it treated union members. Now, Social Security management personnel are concerned that they are not being treated as well as union members. NCSSMA's concerns cannot be a good thing for the Social Security Administration.
Oct 11, 2008
Social Security Websites Down
I thought that Social Security was only going to do some database work this weekend. However, just try accessing anything that Social Security normally has on the web. Virtually everything other than Social Security's home page is down. I doubt that many will be inconvenienced, but this does seem extreme.
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