I Visited Social Safety’s Buyer Service Workplace

I used to be ninth in line on the Lengthy Island Metropolis Social Safety workplace.

At 8:28 a.m., with the temperature hovering simply above freezing, a small group of individuals have been already gathered exterior. Some held proof of handle or medical paperwork, others clutched paper cups of espresso from the Dunkin’ up the road.

By the point the doorways opened at 8:57 a.m., the road was beginning to curve across the constructing. I used to be joined by largely seniors, one younger couple with a child, and a person in a “proud United States veteran” baseball hat.

“Anybody right here with a query about their lifetime earnings?” an worker requested as folks filed into the fluorescent-lit room. She was met by a couple of nods. “Who’s right here to resume their Social Safety card?” A number of folks raised their palms. Others mentioned they’d questions on their month-to-month profit quantities or wanted to replace their financial institution info. An older man mentioned he was there in particular person as a result of he was struggling to get assist over the cellphone.

The Social Safety Administration has had a busy month. As a part of President Donald Trump’s slashing of the federal workforce, Social Safety has mentioned its staffing goal is now 50,000 employees, a discount of seven,000 staff — which is already close to a historic low. Appearing Deputy Commissioner for Operations Doris Diaz informed employees in a memo on March 13 that reductions in cellphone service and new ID necessities might result in a further 75,000 to 85,000 guests every week at native discipline places of work. This follows DOGE’s vow to cease advantages fraud, a phenomenon that’s exceptionally uncommon, with solely 0.84% of funds deemed improper by the SSA’s Workplace of the Inspector Normal.

These cuts and coverage adjustments have come as a shock for many throughout the SSA. Trump initially left the company out of January’s federal workforce cuts and the president has beforehand mentioned that he “won’t minimize one penny” from Social Safety. The White Home informed BI this week that the latest cost-cutting measures are as a result of the president is a “accountable steward” of tax {dollars}, and the SSA mentioned five-day return-to-office necessities for employees will assist with customer support points. Nonetheless, AARP reported that they’ve been flooded with hundreds of calls from involved seniors. Uncertainty over this system’s future has prompted widespread panic for the 73 million individuals who depend on it, and staff have informed BI their morale is sinking.

“There was a 180-degree flip away from defending the entrance traces and defending service to the general public,” Wealthy Couture, the federal employee union’s SSA Normal Committee spokesperson, informed me, including. “On prime of the customer support disaster we’re already seeing, it’ll push quite a lot of discipline places of work over the sting by way of what they’re in a position to deal with.”

So, on a Thursday morning in March, I visited New York Metropolis discipline places of work and tried calling customer support to grasp what it is wish to navigate Social Safety in 2025.

As a result of I did not have an appointment — and employees weren’t eager on speaking to a journalist — I did not get previous the ready room in Lengthy Island Metropolis. Workers and guests weren’t open to interviews. As I left to catch the N prepare, one other 5 folks walked contained in the glass workplace doorways.

Cellphone service was overwhelmed, so I visited discipline places of work in 3 boroughs

Social Safety is a monetary lifeline for thousands and thousands of Individuals: folks with disabilities, households residing close to the poverty line, and retirees. A fifth of US adults over 50 haven’t got satisfactory retirement financial savings, and BI has heard from a whole lot of seniors who’re counting on the month-to-month checks as their major supply of earnings. Some try to cowl their housing, grocery, healthcare, and different bills on about $1,000 a month.

“I do not wish to be wealthy, I simply have to be snug,” one 62-year-old residing on $1,104 in month-to-month Social Safety informed me. “I simply wish to know that I can have meals after I want it and a pleasant roof over my head.”

Older adults have additionally informed BI they’ve a tough time wading by authorities paperwork, particularly if they’re attempting to assert Social Safety alongside different advantages like SNAP or Medicare. At every of the sector workplace areas I visited, at the very least one employees member’s essential position was serving to older guests decide what paperwork they wanted and what buttons they need to push to examine in for his or her appointment on the digital machine.

These Social Safety logistics points aren’t new, however the customer support system set as much as assist beneficiaries navigate them is crumbling. Almost 50 discipline places of work are slated to shut throughout the US because of funding cuts, and employees shortages imply the typical cellphone wait time is about an hour and 44 minutes — and staff anticipate it getting worse. On the decrease Manhattan SSA location I visited, the ready room was full of folks ready for assist and the gang considerably outnumbered staff.

I used to be having bother getting seen in particular person, so I figured I might name the 1-800 Social Safety quantity to talk to an agent. The chipper-sounding robotic mentioned the wait time was “larger than 120 minutes” after which it instantly hung up on me.

Now unsuccessful in particular person and over the cellphone, I made a decision to take the prepare to downtown Brooklyn. I rode an overcrowded elevator as much as the seventh-floor workplace, which was painted floor-to-ceiling in peachy pink. A whole lot of chairs have been arrange within the heart of 30 totally different cubicles, solely about eight of which have been staffed. I took a ticket, sat with roughly 40 different guests, and waited 21 minutes for my quantity to be known as.

When “902” got here throughout the intercom, I walked throughout the room to my Social Safety appointment — a number of hours and two boroughs after I waited in line in Queens.

(The worker I had my appointment with informed me she would not thoughts speaking to me for this story, however her supervisor suggested her to not.)

After all, I wasn’t truly submitting for Social Safety on Thursday. I did not want to remain to fill out paperwork, and my potential to pay payments wasn’t driving on the success of my appointment. I additionally stay in New York, the place there are a couple of totally different discipline workplace areas that I can go to. SSA staff have warned that Trump’s new in-person ID requirement might imply some beneficiaries in rural areas and with out transportation entry can have a tougher time getting service. For folks counting on profit checks to afford necessities or pay for healthcare, any delays may very well be catastrophic.

On the finish of the day, I known as Social Safety’s 1-800 quantity once more. The web site says brokers employees the telephones from 8 a.m. and seven:00 p.m. native time Monday by Friday.

“The wait time is bigger than 120 minutes,” the robotic informed me. “We’re presently experiencing excessive volumes and all brokers are busy. Goodbye.” Click on.

Do you have got a narrative about Social Safety to share? Are you an SSA worker with a tip? Contact this reporter by way of Sign at alliekelly.10 or e-mail allisonkelly@businessinsider.com. Use a private e-mail handle and a nonwork system; this is our information to sharing info securely.