Union Committed To Work From Home

      From Government Executive:

After two years of most of the agency’s offices being closed to the public—except by appointment—due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Social Security Administration reopened its traditional worksites last week.

But labor groups, who in January reached an agreement with the agency to negotiate further on the component level about how reentry would occur, reported that process was a mixed bag, with employees at teleservice centers and the agency’s around 1,200 field offices getting the short end of the stick.

Rich Couture, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 215, which represents employees in the Office of Hearing Operations, and chief negotiator for the union on reentry, said that although some offices, like his own, were successful in reaching agreement ahead of offices reopening last week, the majority were not.

"I can say that generally, with few exceptions, the component council meetings did not achieve their purpose,” he said. “There were whole issues that were not considered appropriate for discussion by the agency. It was primarily telework, but proposals to address process reform, workload management and those types of proposals were given a full hearing, much less discussed.” ...

Angela Digeronimo, president of AFGE Council 220, which represents employees in Social Security field offices and its teleservice centers, said nearly all of her union’s proposals, ranging from increased telework, setting up cohorts that would cycle into the office for a week while others work remotely—to mitigate spread of COVID-19—and preserving some office hours as by appointment only, were all flatly rejected by management.  ...

“The agency is saying, ‘We’re critically understaffed,’ and the agency is claiming that it’s because of the appropriations not being sufficient, so staffing will remain flat and we have been for four years. But it’s more than that: it’s the fact that they are not willing to reimagine how we do business with the public and reinvent services so they’re better for the public and also the work-life flexibilities for employees, so we’re not attracting or retaining people.” ...

    It is pure fantasy to believe that it will ever be acceptable to close Social Security's field offices so its employees can work from home. This isn't politically acceptable now and it won't be in the future. Union leaders whining about their intense desire that their members not be required to show up for work in the office won't get their members anywhere. Grow up.

They’re Right

      From a press release:

As the Social Security Administration (SSA) begins transitioning back to providing full, in-person service at its more than 1,200 field offices for the first time in over two years today, it still expects large crowds, long waits, and continued service delays. 

The SSA recommends that customers avoid delays and long waits by calling ahead to schedule an appointment, but has also warned the public that they may experience busy signals or dropped calls.

In a new letter led by Ways and Means Republican Leader Kevin Brady (R-TX), Subcommittee on Social Security Republican Leader Tom Reed (R-NY), and Subcommittee on Oversight Republican Leader Tom Rice (R-SC), Committee Republicans are urging Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) to hold a hearing to examine these challenges. …

Lewis Nominated To SSAB

      The President has nominated Sharon Beth Lewis of Oregon to become a member of the Social Security Advisory Board (SSAB). Here's some biographic info on Lewis:

Lewis is a Principal at Health Management Associates, where she consults with government entities, providers, and advocates to advance opportunities for people with disabilities to fully participate in all aspects of their communities. Before that, Lewis served nearly six years in presidentially appointed roles at the Department of Health and Human Services. There, she was one of the chief architects of the Administration for Community Living and worked to improve access to quality integrated home and community-based services by working with states, stakeholders, and other federal agencies, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Social Security Administration, and the Departments of Labor, Education, Transportation, and Justice.

Before joining the Obama administration, Lewis worked as a Senior Disability Policy Advisor to the House Committee on Education & Labor and as a Kennedy Public Policy Fellow for the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Children and Families. Lewis is the recipient of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Chairman’s Award and is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis.

Long Line In Guam

    There's been a long line outside Social Security's field office in Guam. Yes, Guam is a U.S. territory so that's U.S. Social Security. 

First Report On Field Office Reopening

    From WHEC:

For the first time in two years, people could just walk into the Social Security office downtown to try to get someone to help them.

For five months, we've documented all kinds of problems and delays with the agency's phone system and operators, but Thursday the doors opened and we found someone who really needed the access.

I stood on Main Street asking people who walked in without an appointment—how did it go? Some said it was fine. Others were still frustrated. And then I saw a little 7-year-old girl walk out with her mom and considering where they came from, the offices opened at the right time. 

Jenna is 7 years old. She and her mother Yurina and escaped from Ukraine. 

"I'm helping my friends," Viktor Kachaluba said. "They come from Ukraine, like refugee."

This mother and daughter recently came into the United States through Mexico. They came to the Social Security office when it opened today in the hopes of getting a number. ...

Within two hours of opening, about 50 people came to the office and I watched more arrive every minute. 

People waited in the lobby to get escorted to the second floor. 

"I just needed my social security card," Deshawn Terry said. "And the phone lines were tied up so I just decided to come down."

"Yes, I've called numerous times," Ann Randall said. "I've been on hold, ringing for hours." ...

    If you work in a field office, how is reopening going so far?

They Call This The Waterfall Chart

 

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How Will Reopening Affect This?

      This Caseload Analysis Report has been uploaded by Social Security. It's basic operating statistics from the agency's Office of Hearings Operations.

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Advance Designation Of Rep Payee Form Leaks Out

      Social Security has a form to make an advance designation of representative payee but for reasons unknown to me they won’t release the form to the public. What good does it do to have the form but not release it to the public? However, a wills and estates law firm has gotten a copy and posted it online.