The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced significant progress in its ongoing efforts to improve customer service while handling record transaction volumes. Key milestones include:

• Completing over 3.1 million payments to all who were entitled under the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA) five months ahead of schedule
• Continuing to upgrade SSA’s telephone technology nationwide, deploying the platform to 841 field offices, representing 70 percent of field offices nationwide
• Reducing the average speed of answer (ASA) on the 800 Number to 13 minutes, a 35 percent reduction compared to this time last year and over a 50 percent reduction compared to last year’s annual average
• Optimizing technology on the 800 Number so that 90 percent of calls handled are now served via automated self-service options or convenient callbacks, minimizing hold times
• Implementing a new service model in field offices that has reduced wait times about 10 percent for all customers year-over-year
• Decreasing the initial disability claims backlog by 25 percent, from a record high of 1.2 million cases pending last summer to 950,000 cases pending today
• Achieving a historic low of approximately 276,000 disability hearings pending, with customers experiencing wait times 60 days shorter than last summer
• Upgrading the my Social Security online portal to provide uninterrupted, 24/7 access to customers starting mid-July

These milestones come just two months after Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano was sworn in as SSA’s 18th Senate-confirmed leader, with a vision to transform the agency into a premier service organization. Since his appointment, Commissioner Bisignano has engaged directly with employees across the country to understand their challenges and drive immediate improvements.

“My top priority is to transform SSA into a model of excellence—an organization that operates at peak efficiency and delivers outstanding service to every American,” said Commissioner Bisignano. “The American people have waited long enough for better service, and they deserve the absolute best from their government. I am deeply grateful to our dedicated employees who are already making this turnaround a reality.”

SSA has faced significant challenges in recent years, including service backlogs, long wait times, and low employee morale. The agency has ranked last among large federal agencies in employee satisfaction for three consecutive years. Under Commissioner Bisignano’s leadership, SSA is working to reverse this trend by equipping employees with the tools and resources they need to improve performance across all operations. Central to this transformation is SSA’s commitment to becoming a digital-first, technology-driven organization.

For more information, please read our fact sheet on SSA accomplishments.