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.
Social Security Employee Wins Award
The Government Executive recently announced the winners of the annual Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Awards. One of the announced winners was Sylviane Haldiman from the Social Security Administration. Haldiman is an associate deputy commissioner with Social Security in the agency’s office of systems. Haldiman earned the Pathfinder Award for her work. A description of the Pathfinder Award follows.
These winners bring the best information technology solutions available into the federal sphere. For some, that involves exploring the application of leading-edge technologies to government. For others, it means implementing currently commercially available products and services to solve specific problems. In both cases, the end result is driving down cost and increasing the efficiency of government operations.
Government Shutdown Averted
Another potential government shutdown was averted as the clock was ticking as we entered October in 2021. For weeks Democrats and Republicans debated the merits of continuing to fund the government as the deadline approached and decided to support a Continuing Resolution that allows the government to be funded through December 3, 2021. This move will ensure that Social Security will be fully funded and benefits will continue uninterrupted as least for the next couple of months. Once we get closer to December 3, 2021 expect Congress to take another government shutdown solution to the last minute before action is taken. Even if there had been a partial government shutdown Social Security has a contingency plan in place that would allow the agency to still meet benefit obligations. That plan was updated in late September 2021. Below is a description of the plan that would allow the agency to continue to pay benefits even during a government shutdown.
Funding for the programs under Titles II, XVI, and XVIII of the Social Security Act will continue, even in the event of a lapse in appropriations. Indefinite trust funds supply Title II and Title XVIII benefits. General revenues fund Title XVI payments. However, the current appropriation funds those payments through the first quarter of the following fiscal year. Because there is funding to pay these benefits, the Necessary Implication exception allows us to perform those activities needed to ensure that benefits are accurately and timely paid, despite a lapse in appropriations.
Having a contingency plan in place is important for Social Security to be able to meet benefit obligations even during a partial shutdown of the government. Threats of a government shutdown have become more frequent so this contingency plan issued by the agency is extremely important.
