Beginning this week, Monday, March 23, 2020 Social Security will be instituting fulltime telework for the vast majority of its workforce, according to this story from the Government Executive.
The move is being made as Social Security’s response to slowing the spread of the Coronavirus as millions of Americans now try to operate from home rather than the office. According to the Government Executive, below is a look at how each type of Social Security office will be operating during this crisis. Keep in mind, Social Security has already shut its doors to the public as of last week, but does continue to operate in processing claims and issuing payments.
Field Offices: These were closed to the public last week, but employees will begin working from home by this week. Although most employees will be teleworking there remains a possibility that a “very limited” number of people will be asked to deal with mail and facility issues in office.
Hearings Offices: Most employees are working from home, but Social Security continues to conduct a limited number of disability hearings via phone. The idea is to conduct these hearings via phone where everyone, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), claimant, representative and other personnel are all available from home via phone.
Phone Center and Payment Centers: The phone centers, where Social Security employees assist clients through an 800 number will also start operating remotely. Social Security is allowing employees to take calls remotely if they have the ability to do so and those who do not will be on weather and safety leave until the agency can provide “soft phones” to employees, a technology where employees can speak to customers through their laptops. Additionally, most employees of Social Security payment centers are also working from home. Some of these employees already had telework agreements previously and these employees began working from home last week.
