The Social Security Administration dismissed reports of the agency permanently shutting down some of its offices, saying that such discussions are only taken after consulting with local congressional officials.
“Recent reports in the media that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is permanently closing local field offices are false,” the agency said in a March 27 statement.
Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of Social Security, said the SSA has “not permanently closed any local field offices this year.” The agency added that they have not made any announcement for the permanent closure of such offices since Jan. 1.
However, “from time to time, SSA must temporarily close a local field office for reasons such as weather, damage, or facilities issues,” said the agency, adding that these are not permanent shutdowns, and that the offices are reopened “when the issues are resolved.”
The SSA has roughly 1,230 field offices across the United States dedicated to providing services at the regional level. People can visit these offices to apply for social security and supplemental security benefits, apply for new or replacement social security cards, and make updates to benefits information, among other things.
The agency’s clarification comes as a recent report from the Associated Press that 47 SSA offices were listed for closure.
The SSA said it works closely with local congressional delegations before making a decision on permanently shutting down an office. In addition, the SSA also reassigns workers from the closed office to other sites “to help communities access in-person services.”
Dudek said the agency is “committed to providing service where people need help and our local field offices are no exception.”
The SSA has identified underutilized office space and informed the General Services Administration in a bid to ensure taxpayer funds are used properly. A list of sites for termination has been provided to the General Services Administration.
“Most of these are small hearing rooms with no assigned employees,” the agency said. “Since most hearings are held virtually, SSA no longer needs these underutilized rooms.” The SSA has, so far, announced permanent closure of one hearing office located in White Plains, New York.
