We realize it may be a stretch for ordinary people to want to keep up with the comings and goings of the Social Security Administration, but sometimes circumstances permit where someone does want to follow the latest news regarding the agency due to a possible retirement or disability interest. This blog is an ongoing piecemeal of recent stories that have involved Social Security. Some are tidbits and some are important things that should be known in the world of retirement or disability and others are just interesting stories and nothing more.
Security Issues At Social Security?
We are now in the middle of the longest government shutdown in our nation’s history, with no clear end in sight and some people are wondering how long a partial shutdown can last before crisis occurs. One area related to Social Security is the integrity of building security at Social Security offices. The Federal Protective Services, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, has been impacted by the shutdown. Security guards who work for the Federal Protective Services help protect Social Security offices and have been working without pay since the partial government shutdown. As the shutdown extends there are going to be even more issues with security at Social Security offices. As this article indicates, the federal judiciary will run out of limited funds by January 18. If the shutdown is not over by January 18, federal courts will close for routine business. Many Social Security offices are located inside federal courthouses. At federal courthouses the U.S. Marshall Service provides building entrance security and there is no clarification as to whether the U.S. Marshall Service will continue to provide entrance security at these buildings if the federal judiciary is shutdown.
New Education Rule On Language
The Office of Management and Budget has allowed Social Security’s proposed regulatory changes regarding the removal of the inability to communicate in English as an education category to be published in the Federal Register as a Notice of Proposed Rule Making. Once the item is published, the public is allowed to comment and Congress can analyze the matter.
Social Security Scams Persist
There always seems to be a new scam that targets obtaining Social Security numbers, but a scam that has been reported previously has not gone away and even Social Security is warning people through a automated message when people call Social Security’s toll free number. As this report indicates, scammers have been calling people to report that their Social Security number is going to be suspended because of fraudulent or suspicious activities. The scammers then inform the person to contact a number that is not associated with Social Security in an effort obtain personal information. Social Security’s Office of Inspector General has gotten involved to try and educate the public. Anyone who receives these types of calls should refrain from providing identifying information, including Social Security numbers, and should contact the OIG hotline that has been setup to report the call. The OIG hotline can be reached at 800-269-0271.
