SSA Rebuild for Overworked Agency Could Cause Increased Vulnerability for Managers
The Social Security Administration (SSA) plans to rebuild its workforce as quickly and efficiently as possible after the agency’s months-long hiring freeze has been lifted. SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley recently outlined a strategy so hiring could begin.
The agency is currently at its lowest staffing levels since 1997, leaving employees overworked and causing many to depart from public service. Existing employee fatigue, coupled with the training and hiring of new personnel, could lead to employee errors and subsequent accountability falling on SSA managers, given the existing spotlight on the agency. If this happens, it’s important that managers have the tools to protect themselves – a professional liability insurance (PLI) policy from FEDS can help.
Agency Attrition
According to their budget justification document, attrition has been a predominant issue at SSA, especially at teleservice centers and state disability determination services (DDS). Despite efforts over the last couple of years to increase staffing numbers, employee headcounts have decreased. Many employees report feeling overwhelmed and overworked due to a lack of training, and subsequently leave their jobs within two years of beginning service. Accordingly, the customer service experience has worsened, leading to longer wait times and delays with disability applications and appeals.
“Right now, SSA employees are understaffed, and they are overwhelmed,” O’Malley said. “Not surprisingly, when somebody’s been on hold for an hour, they come off that call hot. We right now have an attrition rate of about 24% in our teleservice centers.”
Hiring Help
The White House requested $15.4 billion for the SSA’s 2025 budget – up $1.2 billion from 2024--to help improve staffing and customer service issues with a goal to reach 60,000 employees. Over the next year, SSA plans to focus in part on veteran hiring, training, and retention, while also partnering with universities and institutions that work with underserved communities – such as high school and community colleges. In addition, SSA requested funding to hire 1,500 interns in 2025.
Onboarding Obstacles
An increased budget would also contain investment in more staffing throughout the agency, including budgets for field offices, processing and hearing centers, teleservice centers and disability determination services (DDS).
Training and oversight of new employees may fall primarily on SSA managers, who are already overworked. If errors are made and issues arise, SSA managers may be subject to allegations of mismanagement, leading to investigations and even lawsuits.
FEDS Protection for SSA Managers
As a federal manager, you need to have counsel that has specific federal experience representing you and your professional vulnerabilities regarding civil lawsuits and workplace allegations. As the professional liability insurance (PLI) provider endorsed by the leading federal employee associations, FEDS Protection can help.
FEDS Protection offers federal employee PLI policies with $1 million, $2 million, or $3 million in civil liability protection for attorney’s fees and indemnity costs in the event you are sued in your civil capacity. The FEDS policy also includes $200,000 of legal representation coverage per incident for administrative actions and $100,000 of coverage for criminal defense costs. Annual premiums for FEDS Protection PLI start at just $290. Additionally, federal managers and law enforcement officers are eligible for a reimbursement of up to 50% the cost of their PLI policy through their agency. To learn more about how a FEDS PLI policy can protect you and your career, visit www.fedsprotection.com or call (866) 955-FEDS, M-F 8:30am-6pm.
*This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
