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By Aliss Higham
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Social Security Administration (SSA) employees have said they are concerned about benefits payments being made on time due to staffing reductions at the federal agency.
Newsweek reached out to the SSA via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The SSA announced in late February that, as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) drive changes, it would reduce its 57,000 workforce by 12 percent, cutting 7,000 jobs.
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The federal agency said the staffing cutbacks in the "agency-wide organizational restructuring" would largely come from retirement and employees taking severance payments and would not impact those who "don't directly provide mission critical services."
The SSA, which distributes retirement, survivor, and disability benefits to more than 70 million people every month, has often been referred to as the "third rail" of politics. It is widely considered untouchable due to its popularity and vital role in paying these benefits.
What To Know
Christine Lizotte, a claims specialist and secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees, said at a press conference the cutbacks will likely "delay payments, cause more errors and could even crash the whole system within months."
"That's why we are greatly concerned that the DOGE team is pressuring the administration to make deep cuts in staff," she said, per Maine Morning Star.
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Her comments echo former SSA commissioner Martin O'Malley, who led the agency under the Biden administration.
"Ultimately, you're going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits," O'Malley told CNBC earlier this month. "I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days."
Jason Fichtner, who previously held several positions at the agency, including deputy commissioner and chief economist, said at a briefing last week that DOGE's actions are akin to "a drunk operating a wrecking ball," according to The New York Times.
Will Benefits Be Delayed?
As it stands, Newsweek is not aware of any delays in benefits currently being issued since the SSA's announcements.
However, the warnings are coming in thick and fast regarding customer services, which are facing numerous changes. The SSA has struggled with staffing issues for several years, reaching a 25-year low in the 2024 fiscal year.
In addition to the staffing cuts, field office closures are also occurring. DOGE has listed 47 SSA field offices set for closure across the country, many of which are concentrated in the southeast and southern United States. The SSA has around 1,230 field offices across the U.S. in total.
A leaked internal memo from the SSA, obtained by the Substack Popular Information, revealed this week that the agency could face longer processing times due to an additional 75,000-85,000 people visiting field offices every week due to changes to identity verification processes.
If the maximum estimation is true, that would mean an additional 4,420,000 visits to fewer SSA offices every year.
The SSA said in a statement that all of its front line staff had been brought back into the office five days a week, which would ensure "maximum staffing is available to support the stronger in-person identity proofing requirement."
What People Are Saying
The Social Security Administration said in a press release announcing the staffing cuts in February: "These steps prioritize customer service by streamlining redundant layers of management, reducing non-mission critical work, and potential reassignment of employees to customer service positions. Also supporting this priority is looking for efficiencies and other opportunities to reduce costs across all spending categories, including information technology and contractor spending. SSA is committed to ensure this plan has a positive effect on the delivery of Social Security services."
Connecticut Representative John Larson, who is on the House Committee on Ways and Means subcommittees on Social Security and Work and Welfare, said in a statement: "Let me be clear—laying off half of the workforce at the Social Security Administration and shuttering field offices will mean the delay, disruption and denial of benefits."
Everett Kelley, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents over 40,000 SSA employees, said in a statement in February: "If Trump and his allies were really looking for efficiency and effectiveness, they'd be investing in SSA's workforce, not dismantling it."
Jackson Ruggiero, co-founder of DisabilityGuidance.org, told Newsweek: "I agree with O'Malley. If proposed cuts to Social Security materialize, there will likely be a collapse in the system. Those already receiving benefits may experience delays in their payments—income vulnerable populations depend on."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen what the impact of staffing and office cuts will be and whether they will impact benefit delivery.
Are you an SSA employee who would like to speak confidentially about their experience? Please get in touch a.higham@newsweek.com.
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