Social Security Service Deteriorates After 8,000 Staff Cuts, Leaving Some Visitors Waiting 5 Hours
Updated
Updated · anewscafe.com · Jun 13
Social Security Service Deteriorates After 8,000 Staff Cuts, Leaving Some Visitors Waiting 5 Hours
3 articles · Updated · anewscafe.com · Jun 13
Summary
More than 8,000 Social Security Administration employees were fired or retired between January 2025 and April 2026, and union officials say field offices and call centers are now buckling under longer lines, delayed appointments and backlogged claims.
Employees reported visitors waiting over five hours just to check in or be seen, while some appointment holders are being rescheduled because offices do not have enough staff.
Commissioner Frank Bisignano told Congress the agency answers 90% of calls to its 800-number with an average five-minute wait, but the union says managers are pulling staff onto phones, leaving hundreds of claims unprocessed.
SSA data show the staffing losses are widespread: five offices lost at least 75% of workers since 2024, 26 lost at least 50%, and 177 lost at least 25%.
The strain is hitting older Americans directly in places such as Shasta County, where about 40,000 residents are 65 or older and many rely on Social Security and Medicare services.