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 The organizational structure at Headquarters also is outdated and inefficient.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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Carol E.
WE NEED OUR OWN PROJECT 2030: NO BILLIONNAIRES – THEIR EXCESS MONEY REPLENISHED BACK INTO SOCIETY HOMELESS, VETS, SOC SEC, DISABLED, MEDICAL, ENVIRONMENT, EDUCATION
Sharon O.
I was trying to see if I can get some more benefits from my dad leotis Armstrong he been deceased since 2012
Debbie S.
Want to thank all the Social Security employees on the phone and in my local office for assisting me in getting my benefits under the Fairness Act. I applied online in early January and received my retroactive benefits on March 9th. This was very fast, and I now need my approval letter to explain how they reached the amount I was paid for my retroactive benefits.Just wanted to say how good my service was despite all the issues Federal Agencies are experiencing.
Carol E.
I contributed significantly TO MY FUTURE social security payments for 45 YEARS. I heard a rumor current admin wants to institute a flat rate for everyone as part of gop budget and project 2025! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!! UNLESS U R REFERRING TO SSI WELFARE PEOPLE??? I WANT A REFUND ON MY 45 YEARS OF PAYMENTS W A REASONABLE RATE OF RETURN. I DO NOT WANT MY MONEY PRIVITIZED. AND I DEMAND U FIX THE SHORTFALL AND REPLACE RAIDED FUNDS!!!!!
Carol E.
they are trying to make flat payment not income based NOT ACCEPTABLE
https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/58629
Lynne
After the chaotic tariff negotiations, swirling rumors about various agencies disappearing, and the abrupt termination of USAID – change by chainsaw – how can I believe that the SSA will be reduced by 7,000 people who will quietly and happily go away? The money is in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. To reduce the budget by “trillions,” Musk and Trump need to target one, two, or all three programs aggressively. How can I trust anything coming from these individuals?
Tana H.
You can’t. They are thieves and pedophiles.
Lorri
Due to some issues not being able to be resolved with online support, phones NEVER being answered, there needs to be access to in person support and availability, like there has been for decades. The office location feature is no longer functional and one cannot make an appointment per the website suggestion.
Sharon O.
I need help with my daughter to cease
Angela E.
How can we be assured this office will not be turned into a “fake” department without the ability to get access to our Social Security? Meaning, a department in name only and no accountability and no ability to receive benefits?? (see Laura’s Feb 28th comment)
Please see Chris Murphy’s March 6th explanation of 6-weeks of corruption on how this department’s funds will be transferred to Trump/ Musk and his cronies.
To the folks still working here, hang in there and fight the good fight. <3
Angela E.
I am worried about our taxpayer contributions being unlawfully stolen by the current presidential administration. What is being done to protect this program from being pilferred?
Terri L.
I am deeply disappointed in the fact that any DOGE employee is able to “read” information. This agency should not be allowed to “read” any private, sensitive and confidential information. The Acting Commissioner swears an oath to protect and serve…..allowing DOGE into the SSA is neither protecting nor serving. This disservice to SSA recipients is occurring under your watch. What you put into the world will come back to you.
Susan S.
As am I. This is a violation and we should start a class action lawsuit. Other federal employees have their own access capabilities, and they couldn’t even do this.
Susan
I will not accept tax cuts for Billionaire so that those receiving Social Security are forced to receive reduced benefits. The wealthy need to pay their fair share ! I worked and contributed my entire life to Social Security and Medicare. I am not a lazy parasite !!!
Why are immigrants who contribute to Social Security being forced out of the country? Who is going to pick the fruits and vegetables ?
And enough of the DOGE KIds, send them back to save Elon’s rockets.
Trumps legacy will be the President who destroyed Social Security and Medicare. What a disappointment !!!
Mary T.
Oh good heavens, your information is out on the web for every one to see. So stop getting upset with DOGE. Any one with a home computer and internet can goggle your name and find out all about you. Try it and be unpleasantly surprised.
Carol E.
WHO CARES – SHE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE UPSET. MAYBE UR A PARASITIC SSI RECIPIENT SO U DONT HAVE MUCH SKIN IN THE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barbara j.
Your opinion on this is irrelevant.
Carol E.
IM WITH YOU ON THIS! IVE HAD IT WITH THIS BS. WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION NEED ATTORNEYS AND I THINK AN ARMY FRANKLY. THEY ARE STEALING FROM US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No f.
Heard the DOGE Bros have now invaded the one program Americans could and should count on. I also heard they are attempting to break it so they can say “See it doesn’t work” so that they can sell our hard earned dollars for pieces on Wall Street. We are a fascist country now. I’m sorry if you lost your job for no good reason. Looks like Musk could use some help over at X (which is down), SpaceX (which went down over the Gulf of debris), and Starlink (whose stock is also down). Perhaps if Musk paid his fair share of taxes none of this would have happened. Or maybe he can go home to his apartheid country. That seems to be where he might fit in best.