President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to institute a federal civilian employee hiring freeze that could very well increase wait times even further for Social Security disability applicants.
No new Social Security employees can be hired during this freeze, which is expected to last at least 90 days until the Office of Management and Budget develops and implements a plan to reduce the federal employee workforce. This measure, according to Trump’s White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, will ensure “that the American taxpayers get effective and efficient government.”
I wish someone from the Trump Administration would explain how reducing the number of employees at the Social Security Administration during the largest backlog in the agency’s history will provide effective and efficient government. A hiring freeze will leave positions at the agency vacant when employees retire or move on to other things, but the backlog of people waiting for Social Security disability hearings will only increase and it will not be surprising to see some disability hearing locations take two years or longer from the date of request before a hearing is held.
Not surprising, two former Social Security commissioners, one appointed by a republican and the other by a democrat, have spoken out against the order, opposing the hiring freeze in a recent story published by Bloomberg.
“To better serve the American public, the Social Security Administration needs more budget and staff resources, not less,” said Kenneth Apfel, who led the agency under President Bill Clinton. Michael Astrue, who led Social Security under President George W. Bush agreed with Apfel’s assessment offering “I think it’s going to be pretty devastating.”
Not surprising, the Association of Administrative Law Judge’s union also opposes the idea of a hiring freeze. “I don’t agree with the union on much, but I do agree with them on that,” Astrue said.
