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.
Maximum Telework Coming To An End At Social Security?
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 many Social Security employees have been working from home in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, but President Joe Biden’s announcement that the public health emergency is set to expire May 11, 2023 is likely now going to limit the amount of telework permitted at Social Security. Although you can expect less telework at Social Security, it’s not going away all together, and probably won’t for quite some time. Below is a partial memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management.
The Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday announced that it will end the use of maximum telework as part of the federal government’s operating status next month, following President Biden’s planned expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
“OMB’s memorandum informed agencies of an expectation to increase meaningful in-person work while still using flexible operational policies,” she wrote. “Agencies should continue to strategically use telework and remote work policies in support of their workforce plans moving forward while capitalizing on the benefits of meaningful in-person work.”
Funding Matters
Social Security customers know all too well that wait times at field offices and on the phone have gotten out of control, but another federal agency, the Internal Revenue Service is making strides to reduce wait times after receiving additional funding from the government. It was reported last year that the average wait time on the phone at the IRS was 27 minutes, which is down to 4 minutes this year. This is great for IRS customers, but now it is time to approve additional funding at SSA to combat the same problem.
