As of last week, with Congress struggling to come up with a compromise for government-wide reductions known as sequestration, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that cuts could affect daily operations.
“We’re already getting a lot of reports of increasing anger from the public,” said Witold Skwierczynski, president of the Social Security Council of the American Federation of Government Employees told the Baltimore Sun. “People are upset.”
The SSA said that cuts would not affect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits; however, day-to-day operations at SSA call centers and could be affected, as hours are reduced and staff is furloughed.
The SSA said it is preparing 8 percent to its $11.5 billion budget if Congress does not prevent sequestration. The cuts could leave people who call the agency’s hotline on hold for long wait times and delay some disability decisions.
This is an unfortunate situation for beneficiaries and SSA employees. We hope that legislators will put aside differences and come up with a compromise. We will update you next week if an agreement is made or cuts take place.
If you have questions about applying for disability benefits or are unsure if you even qualify, contact a Tulsa Social Security Disability attorney. We offer free evaluations of your case, and you may reach us by phone at (918) 265-1404. Contact us today.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyers
