Back in the 1980s the Paperwork Reduction Act was passed. The purpose, according to the act, was to “protect the public from excessive demands for information,” but decades later does the act achieve its intentions? The answer is likely no, at least when it comes to the Social Security Administration.
If you have ever applied for Social Security disability benefits, or if you have ever represented a Social Security disability claimant you know that the amount of paperwork involved in a claim is abundant. The agency will send multiple copies of correspondence to both the claimant and the claimant’s representative, which does not seem like a good practice of the Paperwork Reduction Act.
The act was passed way before there was an Internet to speak of and when technology did not allow us to conduct business the way we do today. Social Security could do many things that would improve the Paperwork Reduction Act. One major thing Social Security could move to would be to allow claimants to submit documents and forms electronically and to allow claimants to sign documents electronically to reduce unnecessary paperwork that can seem overwhelming to a Social Security disability claimant. Below is a look back at the purpose of the Paperwork Reduction Act.
Paperwork Reduction Act, a Law for Modern Times
The Paperwork Reduction Act was enacted in 1980 to protect the public from excessive demands for information. Despite its age, the PRA’s concerns are especially relevant now. Now more than ever, good data is essential for government decision-making, but gathering this data must be balanced against the desire to decrease burden on the public. It’s a tricky balancing act.
Until today, federal employees have struggled with navigating the clearance process. Whenever they wanted information from the public – from official forms to online surveys – they’ve entered a world of uncertainty.
Federal employees are often reluctant to modify forms because of the hassle and delay of the clearance process.
Some unfortunate examples are when paper forms are directly copied to web interfaces to avoid the process. Especially when many agencies are improving their digital service offering, this presents a huge wasted opportunity.
This website aims to lower the barrier by increasing employees’ confidence and eliminating a common cause of delay: the back-and-forth between agencies and OIRA. Having the basics in plain language is expected to save everybody time.
The site’s process table also helps agencies plan the right activities at the right times.
With these barriers decreased, the joint project teams hope to unblock good changes while preserving scrutiny on burdensome collections.
How This Came About
The PRA Guide was developed with the help of a fund called 10x, which funds innovative ideas from within government. When OIRA (which handles PRA clearances) heard about this opportunity, it presented a clear path to address the frustration around PRA.
The PRA Guide is the result of Phase 3 of 10x funding, which established the best path forwards through user research: a clear and intuitive website that presents a holistic view of the PRA process.
