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.
Report Shows Staffing Shortages Lead To Longer Processing Times
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Social Security Administration released a report on workloads at the hearings offices in the Atlanta and New York regions that showed staffing shortages at these offices have played an important role in higher average processing times of claims. The report just confirms that inadequate staffing levels are the major reason Social Security wait times keep increasing for the processing of a claim. “The hearing offices in both regions with high averaging processing times had below-average staffing levels, low morale, and issues with telework, claimant representatives, and the quality of the support staff’s work,” the report said.
Those interviewed as part of the report indicated office micromanagement, excessive time and oversight devoted to minor issues, goals not agreeing with real capabilities, negative messaging/tone, and frequent changes enacted with virtual no notice as major obstacles to improving the average processing times of claims.
Unfortunately, the OIG had very few answers on improving the average processing time of claims at these offices without increased staff. “We did not include specific recommendations related to adequate support staff numbers and telework that SSA is still addressing from prior Office of the Inspector General Reports,” the report read.
Social Security Employee Sentenced In Immigration Fraud Case
Nelli Kesoyan, 46, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for participating in immigration fraud conspiracy. The Sacramento Bee reported that Kesoyan’s crimes included conspiring to make false statements in a matter related to naturalization and citizenship and to obstruct, impede, or influence a pending agency proceeding, and for falsifying government records, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The newspaper reported that evidence showed Kesoyan used her position as a claims representative for Social Security to create false documents and falsifying government records in an attempt to assist another individual to commit fraud in two naturalization applications. After U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began to investigate the false statements, Kesoyan and her accomplice produced more false documents and encouraged other people to lie to immigration officials in an effort to obstruct the investigation, according to a new release obtained by The Sacramento Bee.
Social Security Seeking Consortium For Retirement And Disability Research
Social Security recently announced it would be willing to pay up to $3 million to fund a consortium for retirement and disability research. The agency is accepting applicants from the following areas:
- Small businesses
- State governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Special district governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
