SSA Offices Urged to Reopen
Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, is urging Federal workers to return to their normal workplaces. Citing updated CDC guidance on mask requirements, as well as the most recent progress in vaccination rates, Hice formally requested a staff-level briefing no later than May 25 to address “the preparation and planning currently underway for a return of the federal workforce to its ordinary work locations.”
Hice’s May 18 letter to Kathleen McGettigan, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, specifically cited the negative consequences of prolonged inability to interact directly and face-to-face with critical services, especially in the case of Veterans and Social Security beneficiaries who may not have the ability or expertise to deal with a completely virtual service platform. Hice observed that “customer-service oriented federal agency functions are suffering from near uniform virtual work,” noting that the abrupt shift to remote working arrangements has led to security and productivity issues in several areas and should not be prolonged.
In reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption of normal working arrangements at many levels, it’s important to note that the AMAC Foundation resolved early on to continue its Social Security Advisor Service uninterrupted, re-deploying our certified Advisors to work at home and providing the necessary communication equipment to receive and respond to requests. Our free-to-the public service continue to operate seamlessly during the pandemic, and to-date has provided support to well over 16,000 folks struggling to navigate the complexities of Social Security. To learn more about this service, click here…
When will the offices reopen? We adopted 2 foster kids last summer and we still can’t change their SSN because they require us to send our Driver licenses to them. It is illegal in the state of North Carolina to drive without carrying your drivers license so we’re technically dead in the water. What can we do to resolve this since we cannot complete our tasks on our end?
Matt:
We don’t really know a definite re-opening date for specific SSA offices, but we can tell you that pressure is mounting for Federal employees to return to work. Check out this post from a few weeks ago: https://socialsecurityreport.org/ssa-offices-urged-to-reopen. Also, as explained in the response from May 12 to “Pat” (below), there are limited opportunities for in-person appointments at field offices. In the meantime, if you have a specific question about Social Security, feel free to contact our AMAC Foundation Social Security Advisory Service at 888-750-2622 (or email us at SSAdvisor@AmacFoundation.org).
Gerry Hafer
AMAC Foundation, Inc.
It is funny that un-documented people can cross the border and get a social security card so that they can work and we have to jump through hoops to get a replacement card such as sending them original documents by mail with no grantee of getting them back, leaving us without ID to use at a store or for driving a car or incase of an emergency. I have been told by my local office that if I want a replacement card that is what I have to do if I can’t renew one online.
I find the system works against those who were born in this country, maybe I should try crossing the border and getting help that way.
Steven:
Thanks for your comments. One point I’d like to make to clarify the situation you describe, though, is that Social Security Administration regulations require proof of U.S. citizenship (birth/age verification and other forms of identification) in order to obtain a valid Social Security card. Legal immigrants and people legally granted asylum or refugee status can in some situations also qualify. Undocumented immigrants are unable to legally obtain Social Security identification, although anecdotal accounts exist of illegal immigrants obtaining fraudulent IDs used for work purposes.
By the way, we (the AMAC Foundation) are not affiliated with the Social Security Administration in any way. We simply interpret the rules and regulations for folks navigating the system. We sincerely appreciate your comments and we understand your frustration.
Gerry Hafer
AMAC Foundation
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With the state reopening now..it’s time for social security offices to open too. If employees are vaccinated and can go to the mall, the grocery stores and Walmart..it’s time to go to work.