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 The organizational structure at Headquarters also is outdated and inefficient.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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Rhonda C.
The current Administration, DOGE and the Immigrant from South Africa are completely oblivious to how the American governmental system works. It is complex, necessary and vital to the heartbeat of America! Our livlihoods are at stake!!! To come in on a whim and start to dismantle, fire and downsize without extesive investigation into each and every job is insanity. Do we need to do away with waste? YES… but the way it is being done is horrifying to say the least!
Rose L.
Like many others, I feel badly for the hard working Social Security workers!
I have also called Social Security and waited over 2 1/2 hours on 2 different days, with no response! It’s impossible to get anyone on the phone and you can’t walk into an office any longer to correct a problem or to get anyone assistance! The thought of cutbacks to their staffing is mind blowing! I’ve never contacted my Congressman to complain, but I think it’s time I did so!
Justina
AP reported that one person at ssa said up to 50% would be laid off while another said 7000 would be laid off. Why the discrepancy? And what is the end game here? Sabotage the structure and claim only privatization will save it?
JB
Who has determined that the Social Security workforce is “bloated”? When was this determination made? How was it made? Have those who conducted the time studies of the workforce published their findings? What were their findings?
Has anyone doing these reviews ever needed to utilize the services of Social Security staff?
How is it possible that decisions about staffing cuts in an essential agency can be made without a study of the adverse ramifications of these decisions?
Kim K.
And! Correct me if I’m wrong, but our taxes pay for EVERYTHING! Every government entity!
Which means we taxpayers need to be informed of everything not just coming in like mad men and slashing here and there like Friday the 13th. I am appalled at what is happening.
ana l.
so sad. so sad. remember people are blood sweat6 and tears. AI is tin, cold, and tearless. god help the usa of America because these abrupt and insensitive dehumanizing changes will indeed hit each and everyone of us…of you…of them. no one is exempt. not even our co-presidents. I feel so sad for the good people in tis nation.
h.reynolds
Stop sending hour money to other countries and take care of the US
Joyce R.
I agree
Nancy E.
We already did not have enough workers in SS. Takes average of over 30 minutes to wait on line to get to talk to a person and hope never to get disconnected just to start all over again. I have spent hours on phone to clear up problems. Computer never understands what my problem is! So go to nearest office 30 miles away to take a number and wait hours to get served but that is only way I get full information to my questions. Do NOT cut out that workforce. They are not idle during work hours
Audrey C.
I have experienced this quite a few times. You have to wait on the phone for a couple of hours not 30 minutes.
Cheryl T.
I believe the restructuring is going to be good for the customer! They are trying to make it where more people will be out in the field helping people! And more on the phones so not such long waiting times. They are only down sizing 7,000 jobs..saying they are jobs that people mostly waste their time doing mostly nothing and costly SSA too much money. The restructuring plan is about quicker efficiency for the people!
Red M.
This is a ridiculous statement. SS staff is at an all-time low already. If you think service will get better by cutting 7,000 employees, I’ve got a red baseball cap I’ll sell you for $1,000. Musk and Trump saying these are jobs where people “mostly waste their time doing mostly nothing” is insulting and demeaning to the hardworking folks doing their best to serve the American people. Quit gulping the Kool Aid.
Justina
Thank you, Red! These SSA employees are citizens whose lives are being upended. I can’t understand anyone celebrating people losing their livelihood. It’s cruel and heartless.
And the only red bb cap I’d ever wear is for my Cincy Reds. Go Reds!
Ed J.
DOGE has nothing to do with improving anything! It is about causing fear and distraction while Mr.Musk moves through our government removing evidence of his corruption and fraud. If he see an opportunity to exploit, anything for his financial benefit he will.
It is that simple!
Louanne
I agree.
Kim K.
Amen!!!
Michael C.
I can’t wait to see the so-called certification that says we will be a more efficient and effective agency after this debacle. The “target” of 50,000 employees is just a number. By what objective measures is a 7,000 staff cut going to be more efficient or effective? Wait times in field offices and on the 800 number? Months-long delays in processing applications? The increase in the number of people who DIE before ever getting benefits?
Dawn C.
I agree!
Sally Y.
As mentioned in a previous comment, the word “bloated” was meant to convey a negative message to all who read it. This was unnecessary and unprofessional. My compassion goes out to the employees who are losing there jobs. My concern is for the American people who will suffer because of it.
Rosalie H.
I totally agree. I found that to be offensive!!
Lisa
I have nothing but good to say about the Social Security Administration, every worker I have ever delt with was helpful and professional. I see this all as a stunt to cover other crimes pending.
Patti J.
Calling the workforce “bloated” in an official publication is demeaning, demoralizing, and unprecedented. Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek should be ashamed.
As a retiree with 38 years of service for SSA, I can state that the vast majority of employees are dedicated to the agency’s mission and do their best to serve the public.
Recently, I called SSA’s 800 number to inquire about spousal benefits under the new law—only to be told the wait time was 120 minutes. Would that happen in a so-called “bloated” agency?
Elon Musk has no understanding of how the federal government operates. His involvement is solely for personal gain through government funding. The actions being taken are not only illegal but are also creating chaos, confusion, and a decline in service to the American people. These disgraceful actions need to stop.
The brain drain will have an impact for many years to come. This is just the beginning. Who will want to work for the federal government now, with the constant harassment? But I believe that is the point…gut SSA so that the agency cannot adequately perform its mission, then push again for privatization. I hope the public is paying attention.
Louanne
You are so right. Sadly, I’m afraid that the public is not paying attention. There have been warning signs before this, and still the public has not paid any attention to those either. Not until something directly affects them will they make the connection.
Joyce M.
Well said Patti
Jody
Muskey native country is South Africa, come on GOV, we allowing a person that is not and never was an American, a person who visa will expire to adjust our way of life: DANG!