Congress has developed proposals that would provide for the creation of a paid leave system for workers, but a recent survey conducted by AARP makes it clear that voters over the age of 50 want Social Security to play no part in administering a paid leave program, which has been discussed.
A synopsis of the survey the AARP conducted is below. It is not surprising that experienced individuals would reject Social Security’s participation in a paid leave program because they are afraid that if Social Security gets involved in paid leave that it would result in less money for Social Security benefits, longer wait times and poor customer service.
Something tells me that some of the respondents in the survey have firsthand experience dealing with Social Security. Wait times are not something Social Security has ever been good at, but now that we are in the middle of a pandemic, receiving sufficient customer service at Social Security has been challenging. People are right to be concerned if another large responsibility is placed on the shoulders of Social Security when the agency is already understaffed and underfunded.
Voters age 50-plus are concerned that using the Social Security Administration (SSA) to administer a paid leave benefit could have a negative impact on Social Security Retirement benefits.
Lawmakers are considering a paid leave benefit that is funded by taxpayers. Such paid leave benefits would be administered through an existing federal agency. Currently, the Social Security Administration is being considered to manage the paid leave benefit.
AARP sought to understand the views of voters 50-plus on the topic. While there is broad support for such a program, older voters are concerned that administering this benefit through the SSA would negatively impact the administration of Social Security benefits to retirees.
They are concerned that it could lead to longer wait times, delay of benefits, poorer customer service, and benefits cuts. Overall, more than half (54%) believe that administrating paid leave through the SSA would hinder the allocation of Social Security benefits to retirees.
