The Federal Government may shut down this Friday 4/8/2011, which will probably cause disruptions in all government programs and events.

However in the last shutdown, there were no Social Security Disability hearings, no Social Security Disability decisions issued, no back Social Security Disability payments made, and no emergency SSI payments made. All Social Security offices will be closed, including the hearing offices.

The federal government announced on October 15, 2010 that Social Security Disability and Social Security Retirement recipients will not receive a cost-of-living adjustment in 2011. This will be the second year in a row that there has not been a cost-of-living increase.

The absence of a cost-of-living adjustment, calculated under a formula set by law, will be a shock to older Americans and the disabled already hit by plummeting home values, investment losses and rising health costs. More than 50 million people receive some form of Social Security benefits.

Before 2010 Social Security recipients had received automatic cost-of-living adjustments every year since 1975. The increase in 2009 was 5.8 percent. By law, Social Security benefits cannot go down.

The cost-of-living adjustment is intended to preserve the purchasing power of Social Security, by increasing benefits to keep pace with consumer prices. In the last year, overall inflation has been low, largely because of the economic downturn.

The Congressional Budget Office, has predicted that inflation would remain low for several years, so it is possible that Social Security might not pay a cost-of-living increase for several years.

Data from the U.S. Census is used to assign congressional seats to states, and it directly affects how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to state, local and tribal governments. Accurate counts impact several important programs and services that are critical to the disabled community.

Here is what the census means for people with a disability:

* Helps state and county agencies plan for eligible recipients under the Medicare, Medicaid,and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.

* Distributes funds and develops programs for people with disabilities and the elderly under the Rehabilitation Act.

* Distributes funds for housing for people with disabilities under the Housing and Urban Development Act.

* Allocates funds for mass transit systems to provide facilities for people with disabilities under the Federal Transit Act.

* Awards federal grants, under the Older Americans Act, based on the number of elderly people with physical and mental disabilities.

* Allocates funds to states and local areas for employment and job training programs for veterans and disabled veterans under the Job Training Partnership Act, Disabled Veterans Outreach Program.

* Ensures that comparable public transportation services are available for all segments of the population under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

From the White House (10/5/09):

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C. – President Obama today announced that his Administration is taking several steps to ensure that there is fair and equal access to employment for all Americans, particularly the 54 million people in this country living with disabilities. The announcement comes during National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

“My Administration is committed to ensuring that all Americans have the chance to fulfill their potential and contribute to our nation,” said President Obama. “Across this country, millions of people with disabilities are working or want to work, and they should have access to the support and services they need to succeed. As the nation’s largest employer, the Federal Government and its contractors can lead the way by implementing effective employment policies and practices that increase opportunities and help workers achieve their full potential. We must also rededicate ourselves to fostering an inclusive work culture that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified employees. That’s why I’ve asked the responsible agencies to develop new plans and policies to help increase employment across America for people with disabilities.”

The following are some of the steps the Obama Administration will take:

•The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) will collaborate to sponsor and organize a day long Federal Government-wide job fair for people with disabilities. The Fair will take place in early spring 2010. In addition to the Job Fair, OPM, ODEP, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Defense’s office on Computer and Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) will provide workshops throughout the day on a variety of topics including the Schedule A hiring waiver and the right to the provision of reasonable accommodations including information on assistive and communications technology.

•OPM will develop training on Schedule A for federal Human Resources specialists, hiring managers and selective placement coordinators that will be easily accessible and includes on line training.

•EEOC and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division will hold four Town Hall meetings throughout the nation to share information about the ADA Amendments Act proposed regulations and to gather comments on them. All Town Hall meetings will consist of two sessions – one for disability advocates and one for the employer community. These sessions will be completed by November 20th. The four locations are Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and New Orleans.

•The Department of Justice will release a video that will identify and respond to a number of common myths held by employers about workers with disabilities.

•OPM will create and lead a task force comprised of representatives from key Federal Departments and Agencies that have developed and implemented model practices for recruiting, retaining and advancing employees with disabilities. The task force will report on the innovative practices agencies use to encourage the employment of individuals with disabilities. The report will identify and promote successful practices for conducting outreach, recruiting, hiring qualified candidates, successful accommodations, and providing opportunities for career advancement at all levels.

Michael J. Astrue, the Commissioner of Social Security, says benefits for tens of thousands of people with disabilities are being delayed by furloughs and layoffs of state employees around the country.  State officials have announced furloughs, layoffs and hiring freezes to help balance budgets battered by the recession.

Claims are evaluated by state employees, but the federal government reimburses states for the salaries of those employees and pays the full cost of benefits for people found to be disabled.

“We pay the full freight,” Mr. Astrue said. “States do not save any money when they furlough or lay off these employees. They only delay payments to disabled citizens who rely on the monthly benefits.”

The cutbacks come as disability claims are rising because of high unemployment, the weak economy and the aging of the baby boom generation.

The Social Security Administration expects nearly 3 million new disability claims this year, up from 2.6 million in 2008. Each month the agency pays $12 billion in disability benefits to more than 13 million people.

The Social Security system is so clogged with disputed disability claims that some people wait years for hearings.  The stimulus bill signed by President Obama in February provided $500 million to “reduce the backlog of disability claims.”

But the impact of such spending could be offset by state cutbacks.  In a report last month, Patrick P. O’Carroll Jr., the inspector general of the Social Security Administration, said that at least five states accounting for 15 percent of all disability cases – California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and Oregon – had decided to furlough some disability workers, freeze hiring or impose other restrictions. Social Security officials said about 10 other states were taking or considering similar actions.

The agency said it was looking for ways to avoid the delays. The federal government could, for example, take over work performed by the states, but such a change could probably not be made without action by Congress.