As everyone who has read or watched the news recently is aware, there has been significant upheaval in the government over the past six weeks. Just about every governmental agency has been affected, and the Social Security Administration is no exception.
Last Friday, the SSA announced plans to cut 7,000 jobs. These cuts will result in a reduction in the workforce from 57,000 to 50,000 employees and will also result in the closure of entire field offices. Employment at SSA was already at a record low—in 2010, SSA had about 67,000 employees. The workforce at SSA has dwindled steadily over the years due to budget constraints and high employee turnover; as a result, wait times have increased, and customer service has gone from mediocre to downright bad.
What does this mean for the approximately 2 million Americans who apply for disability benefits each year? First, expect longer wait times on the phone when you call Social Security. Second, mentally prepare yourself for significant delays in your application for disability benefits being processed, at all levels of the application process. These staffing reductions will mean that there are fewer workers in each field office to process applications, fewer staff members and attorneys at the hearing offices to work up cases and write decisions, and fewer workers at the payment centers to initiate payments.
No matter how you look at it, this is not good news for sick and suffering Americans who can no longer work; however, you are not entirely powerless in this situation, and there are certain steps that you can take to make the process easier. If you have not already done so, you should create a mySSA account at www.ssa.gov. You can use your account to update personal information, access your Social Security statement, file an application for disability benefits, file appeals, and check the status of your claim, all of which will help you to avoid having to make unnecessary (and often frustrating) calls to your local SSA office. You should also consider hiring an experienced Social Security disability lawyer to help you with the process. At Ryan Disability Law, I file initial applications and appeals, assist my clients with completing forms and providing necessary medical documentation, and communicate with Social Security on my clients’ behalf.
We are undoubtedly in for a bumpy ride, but I am here to be a steadying presence for my clients and to keep a cool head during trying times.