OIG Says It Needs Valet Parking Spaces

     Social Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) is seeking four valet parking spaces for government vehicles in New York City. Needing parking spaces I understand but valet parking spaces?

     Update: The title of the contracting notice now reads: Four Self-Park Garage Parking Spaces.

Disability And Survivor Benefits Matter

     According to a study by Social Security's Office of Chief Actuary, the chances of living to full retirement age without becoming disabled is 64% for males and 70% for females born in 1998. It is the same for females born in 1966 but only 58% for males born in 1966. Despite the improvement, that's still a lot of death and disability before full retirement age. People dramatically undervalue the importance of Social Security disability and survivor benefits. Yes, it can happen to you.

Who Knew?

     When I train new attorneys at my firm in Social Security law, I always emphasize the need to be on the outlook for men entitled to widowers benefits. Here's why.

ALJ Maher Kills Himself After Armed Standoff With Police

     From Heavy.com:

A Miami federal judge [employed by the Social Security Administration], already under investigation, armed and barricaded in his home with family members as possible hostages surrounded by tactical police has reportedly shot and killed himself, a veteran Miami crime journalist reported.

Federal administrative law judge Timothy Maher was arrested last week for threatening the mother of his child with a rifle and was this week alleged to have threatened a co-worker in a federal building.  ...

It was reported that police negoiators could be heard saying, “Anybody living or inside the residence at 23985, if you can hear me, all I need you to do is turn some lights on and off anywhere in your house so my team can see that you’re OK.”

There were conflicting reports of who was inside the home, but reports said police could be heard calling out to the house through a megaphone for a 13-year-old girl believed to be inside be released. ...

ALJ Makes The Big Time

@_FloridaMan

     Social Security's Administrative Law Judge Thomas Mayer, who's been discussed here a good bit lately, has really made the big time. He's the topic of a @_FloridaMan tweet! 

     If you're not familiar with @_FloridaMan, well, you should be.

Miami Hearing Office Closed

ALJ Maher Being Arraigned

     From the Miami Herald:

A downtown Miami federal office remained closed Wednesday as federal agents investigated whether a  judge who handles disability cases threatened a co-worker, according to a law-enforcement source familiar with the incident.

The suspected threat is believed to have come from Timothy Maher [an Administrative Law Judge], who was arrested last week and accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend with a rifle at his home in El Portal. The threat was made Tuesday against one of his colleagues at the Social Security Administration office, 333 S. Miami Ave., where Maher normally works reviewing social-security disability claims.

The decision to close the office, according to sources, was made by Federal Protective Services, a branch of U.S. Homeland Security, which provides armed security for U.S. government buildings. FPS did not notify Miami or Miami-Dade police, which usually work in coordination with law enforcement from Homeland Security. ...

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article217127315.html#storylink=cpy

We Can't Answer Our Phones But We're Up To Date In Cutting People Off Benefits

From: ^Commissioner Broadcast
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2018 12:50 PM
Subject: Achievement of Medical CDR Currency

A Message To All SSA and DDS Employees  

Subject: Achievement of Medical CDR Currency

I am pleased to announce that in August 2018, we achieved currency with the release of all available medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR) for fiscal year 2018.  This is a major achievement as it is the first time we’ve reached this milestone since 2002, and only the second time in Social Security history!

From the Disability Determination Services and their staff, to the Office of Budget and Office of Systems, and the regional and field offices across the country, reaching this monumental achievement truly was a team effort.  Our pledge going forward will be to maintain currency with the CDR workload, which is an important part of our program integrity workloads and our stewardship responsibilities.

As part of our program integrity and stewardship responsibilities, we need to ensure that only those who continue to meet our eligibility requirements for disability receive benefits.  I want to express my sincere appreciation to all of you for helping us stay mission-focused for the public we serve.

Nancy A. Berryhill
Acting Commissioner

Culbertson SCOTUS Oral Argument Set For November 7

     Culbertson v. Berryhill, on whether fees subject to Social Security Act's 25-percent cap include only fees for representation in court or also fees for representation before the agency, is scheduled for oral argument before the Supreme Court on November 7.