Social Security Announces Workforce and Organization Plans
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: February 28, 2025
Consistent with recent executive orders issued by the White House, the Social Security Administration will continue to implement efficiencies and reduce costs, with a renewed focus on mission critical work for the American people.
The agency plans to reduce the size of its bloated workforce and organizational structure, with a significant focus on functions and employees who do not directly provide mission critical services. Social Security recently set a staffing target of 50,000, down from the current level of approximately 57,000 employees. Rumor of a 50 percent reduction is false.
Initial steps to reduce the workforce included offering a limited number of employees the opportunity to leave the agency under the Deferred Resignation Program and Voluntary Early Retirement (VERA).
Yesterday, the agency announced to all employees that Social Security would soon implement agency-wide organizational restructuring that will include significant workforce reductions. The announcement includes offering Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP) to all employees on a first come first serve basis and expanding VERA to all employees. Both VERA and VSIP require employees to opt in and to separate from the agency by specific dates.
Social Security anticipates that much of the staff reductions needed to reach the target of 50,000 will come from retirement, VSIP, and resignation. Additional reductions will come from reduction-in-force (RIF) actions that could include abolishment of organizations and positions. RIF also can include directed reassignments from one position to another position in the agency. Agencies are required to submit their RIF plans to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) by March 13, 2025. No date has been set when a RIF might begin after OPM approves the plan.
SSA has operated with a regional structure consisting of 10 offices, which is no longer sustainable. The agency will reduce the regional structure in all agency components down to four regions. The organizational structure at Headquarters also is outdated and inefficient. SSA will now have seven Deputy Commissioner level organizations.
These steps prioritize customer service by streamlining redundant layers of management, reducing non-mission critical work, and potential reassignment of employees to customer service positions. Also supporting this priority is looking for efficiencies and other opportunities to reduce costs across all spending categories, including information technology and contractor spending. SSA is committed to ensure this plan has a positive effect on the delivery of Social Security services.
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Myo M.
I am very pleased with how the SSA is conducting with transparency and honesty the Workforce reduction all the while aiming to improve efficiency and service.
Great job with dispelling myth and rumors on 50% cuts and gutting the SSA workforce.
Keep up the good work! I can’t wait to see leaner and more efficient SSA.
Michael C.
This is disappointing, especially for those who are not ready for retirement.
I’m also concerned that those who remain will be overwhelmed and underpaid.
Good luck to all of you.
NVyver
What is bloated? You don’t explain this term-you don’t cite supporting evidence that there is “bloat”. What is “mission critical”? Cite specific functions that are not “mission critical”
NVyver
What is the scientific evidence that the workforce is bloated? How many employees per SS recipients now versus 25 years ago? How many future SS recipients will there be? How long does it take to answer the phone for customers? Your blog makes a qualitative judgement of “bloated” without justification. You don’t define what is “mission critical”. What does that mean?
Diana S.
Each time a Medicare recipient sees a provider, an EOB is generated. Sometimes multiple visits are combined, but EVERY EOB mailed has a last page that explains all the languages in which the packet is available. We could save billions if ; 1. We stop sending that page and simply have the recipients designate their preferred language when they enroll, and update current recipients with 1 mailing, and 2. Send a summary EOB no more than once per month or even quarterly. Even better, have an email option.
Bob
This sounds terrible! The whole tone of this is contradictory to everything else from Social Security. Thanks trump
Wendy G.
So, will the on phone wait be even longer than 150 minutes to talk to someone to make an appointment?
As it is now, we are no longer able to come in, take a number, and wait to be called.
We have to call and be in que for over an hour to get an appointment to see someone.
Not everyone, especially the elder, have the option of computer usage. And then , having to wait on the phone is hard for us.
Rod J.
It is about time!! I am a retiree and see this absolutely way overdue.
Now the government should look into the Disability side and start investigating all flaky recipients.
My sister was severely handicapped (cerebral palsy) couldn’t walk or talk nor could she feed herself but she worked everyday until she couldn’t and passed away some time afterwards. There is something almost everyone can do.
MS
Why do comments keep disappearing? Every time I try to see Comments, it says “Be the first to comment.” This is the Musk way. Break things first, and whether they ever get put back together again, who knows (and who cares according to Musk).
Dale
Excellent comment!
Barbara j.
What you are announcing is a horrible idea. We already have to wait for hours or days to speak to anyone.
We have paid for our benefits but that seems to have escaped those making these decisions. I will gladly be a part of a group or groups the intention of which is to stop this redi blouse idea.