The Social Security Administration (SSA) has decided to move approximately 1,000 in-person service workers to reinforce its main 1-800 phone line in an attempt to shorten the long wait times that many callers face. While the idea may seem like a simple fix, many employees and experts are skeptical, and some even believe it will create more problems than it solves.
A Quick Fix That Could Backfire
Jessica LaPointe, a representative for SSA workers in the AFGE union, explained that while phone line agents serve an essential role, they do not actually process claims. Instead, their job is to organize and direct cases, similar to triage in an emergency room. The processing of claims, she points out, is handled by the field office representatives, who will now be spread even thinner.
Removing workers from their field office roles to manage the phones seems counterproductive, as it will likely lead to further delays. The paperwork will pile up, payments will slow down, and staff morale will take another hit. Given that staffing has already been tight for a while, pulling employees from essential tasks to answer phone calls will likely worsen the situation.
The Growing Demand and Strain on SSA
The SSA’s workload is growing, and with it, the call volume. In 2025, the agency is set to handle monthly payments for over 69 million people, with the total annual amount reaching approximately $1.6 trillion. Unfortunately, while the demand continues to rise, the agency’s staffing levels have not kept pace. Over the past several years, thousands of workers have left due to budget cuts pushed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). To make matters worse, the volume of calls has increased dramatically. In 2024, the SSA received around 6.6 million calls per month; by 2025, that number is expected to exceed 8.6 million calls monthly.
The result has been longer wait times. At the beginning of President Trump’s administration, the average wait time was 93 minutes. Under President Biden, the wait time improved slightly to around 75 minutes, but the problem has persisted. Even with the recent efforts to move more workers to the phone lines, the problem is far from solved.
The SSA’s Official Response
Despite the criticism, the SSA insists that these changes are part of a larger strategy to modernize the agency and improve service. Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano stated that his priority is to transform the SSA into a “model of efficiency and citizen service.” The SSA has framed the move as a 25% increase in the number of agents handling calls, but they also argue that only 4% of office staff have been reassigned to the phone lines. They claim that the goal is to have greater flexibility to manage emergencies without neglecting other areas.
A Bigger Problem: More Visits, Fewer Workers
While the SSA claims that the move will lead to better service, experts like the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) warn that the cuts and procedural changes are causing an additional 2 million in-person visits per year. This is a serious issue, especially when SSA offices were already short-staffed before the shift in personnel.
LaPointe, from the union, stresses that what’s truly needed is more hiring and better working conditions for staff. The shift to phone services may temporarily ease the call backlog, but it will lead to other areas being neglected, such as in-person services. As flexible schedules are eliminated, the pressure on remaining workers increases. LaPointe argues that this will only lead to more resignations, fewer workers available, and a further decline in service quality. The system is already stretched thin, and quick fixes are not a sustainable solution.
The Road Ahead
While moving employees to handle the phone lines may provide a temporary fix for the call backlog, it will only exacerbate existing problems in other areas of the SSA. The lack of sufficient staffing and technological investment is a fundamental issue that cannot be resolved by quick fixes. The SSA needs real solutions, such as increased staffing and better infrastructure, to truly address the challenges it faces.
Without these measures, the Social Security system is at risk of becoming even more dysfunctional. And unless real changes are made, the situation will continue to deteriorate, affecting millions of Americans who rely on the agency’s services for their livelihood.
