Average Processing Time Report

This was published in the Social Security Forum, the newsletter of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR). The newsletter itself is not available online. Click on each page to see it full size. The report concerns the processing times at Social Security's hearing offices.

Here are some numbers over time for comparison:

• 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
• November 5, 2008 -- 476 days
  
• December 3, 2008 -- 480 days
• March 8, 2009 -- 499 days
• April 24, 2009 -- 505 days
• June 3, 2009 -- 505 days
• September 29, 2009 -- 472 days
• October 30, 2009 -- 446 days
  

Early Accounting Operations At Social Security

Updated Fee Payment Stats

Below are undated statistics on payments of fees to attorneys and others for representing Social Security claimants:

Fee Payments
Month/Year	Volume	Amount
Jan-09	28,423	$101,128,880.69
Feb-09	31,352	$112,791,207.17
Mar-09	29,199	$104,155,187.96
Apr-09	30,963	$110,133,425.19
May-09	36,603	$126,725,262.45
June-09	31,799	$113,962,564.84
July-09	34,802	$124,621,068.71
Aug-09	28,218	$100,279,282.51
Sept-09	28,455	$100,918,402.40
Oct-09	36,729	$131,011,485.43
Nov-09	29,423	$103,696,628.46

It is worth noting that representing Social Security claimants now generates more than a $1 billion a year in fees. We first passed that threshold last year.

More On Monday

I will have some excerpts on Monday, but if you have the slightest interest in what replaces the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) in disability determination at Social Security, you need to take a look at Chapter 8 of A Database for a Changing Economy: Review of the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and then ask yourself why Social Security is insisting on forging ahead on its own at enormous expense on a project which is far outside its field of expertise.

Legislation Enacted On Payments To Prisoners

The No Social Security Benefits for Prisoners Act was passed by Congress on Thursday. The Act prohibits payments of Social Security benefits to anyone who is ineligible for benefit payments because of imprisonment. This may seem redundant but some prisoners are otherwise eligible for benefits for periods of time before their imprisonment. This prohibition on payment of benefits only applies until the claimant is again eligible for payment of benefits, at which point the back benefits may be paid. Amounts may still be deducted and paid out of benefits owing to a prisoner for items such as child support or attorney fees that will be paid to someone other than the prisoner.

Press Release On Incorrect Notices

A Social Security press release:

The Social Security Administration earlier this month mailed notices that contained incorrect January 2010 payment dates. These erroneous notices went to about 6 million beneficiaries who receive their payments on either the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of each month, and are part of the annual benefit notices that go to 52 million Social Security beneficiaries. In the notice the payment date is incorrectly shown as one week before what the actual date of payment will be. The other information in the notice, including the payment amount, is correct. Social Security is sending a letter explaining the error to beneficiaries who received the incorrect one as soon as possible.

“We apologize for the inconvenience and confusion these incorrect notices will cause,” said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security. “The problem was caused by an unfortunate human error. We are correcting the misinformation as quickly as possible, and we are reviewing our processes closely to prevent this type of mistake from happening in the future. People receiving Social Security benefits in January 2010 should know that their payment will arrive on the same payment day that it has arrived in the past.”

Bed Bugs In Jamaica

From a presolicitation notice posted by Social Security:

The Social Security Administration (SSA), Region II, requires a contractor to use sufficient heat levels and heat application time to remove a bed bug infestation that has been identified inside a several [sic] vertical file cabinets currently containing paper files and folders. The files are located at the SSA facility in Jamaica, Queens, New York. The seven areas in the building needing treatment are spread across five floors.

Commissioner's E-Mail On Labor Management Forum

From: ^Commissioner Broadcast
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 9:41 AM
Subject: COMMISSIONER'S BROADCAST--12/10/09

A Message To All SSA Employees

Subject: Executive Order Creating Labor Management Forum

I want to share with you an Executive Order President Obama signed Wednesday. The Order calls for creation of a non-adversarial forum for managers, employees, and employees' union representatives to promote constructive labor relations and improve productivity and effectiveness in the Federal Government.

I look forward to implementing this Executive Order and have asked Dr. Reginald Wells and his staff to take the lead in this new initiative.

To read the Executive Order, click here.

Michael J. Astrue

Commissioner