Effective August 15, 2011, local Social Security offices nationwide will close to the public 30 minutes early each day. For example, a field office that is usually open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. will close daily at 3:30 p.m.

 “While agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter public window will allow us to complete face-to-face service with the visiting public without incurring the cost of overtime for our employees,” said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security.   “Congress provided our agency with nearly $1 billion less than the President requested for our budget this fiscal year, which makes it impossible for us to provide the amount of overtime needed to handle service to the public as we have in the past.”

 Most Social Security services do not require a visit to a local office. For example, anyone wishing to apply for benefits, sign up for direct deposit, replace a Medicare card, obtain a proof of income letter or inform Social Security of a change of address or telephone number may do so at www.socialsecurity.gov or by dialing their toll-free number: 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

©2012 Virginia Disability Law Blog. All Rights Reserved.

The President’s budget request of $12.522 billion for Social Security’s administrative expenses will allow us to maintain staffing in our front-line components, fund ongoing activities, and cover our inflationary increases. It will allow us to reduce our hearings and initial disability claims backlogs, and to continue to reverse the decline in our program integrity work. Program integrity work not only pays for itself, but also produces considerable savings to the taxpayers.

Full funding by Congress of the President’s budget request is critical. This budget request is the minimum the agency needs to continue to reduce key backlogs and to increase deficit-reducing program integrity work. It will allow us to build on the considerable progress we have achieved, progress that is vital to the millions of people who depend on our services and to the American taxpayer.

For more information about the President’s 2012 budget request for Social Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/budget.

©2012 Virginia Disability Law Blog. All Rights Reserved.

In order to help keep the public more informed, the White House is hosting monthly calls to update us on various disability issues as well as to introduce us to persons who work on disability issues in the federal government.

This month’s topic will be on the President’s budget as it relates to people with disabilities. This call is off the record and not for press purposes.

This call will be Tuesday, February 15 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
Conference Call Information:
Dial in for listeners: United States: (800) 288-8974
Title: White House Disability Call (use instead of code)
Date of Call: February 15, 2011
Start Time: 1:00 p.m. Eastern
For live captioning, at time of call, log onto: http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1710748&CustomerID=321

If you would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please email sfeuerstein@who.eop.gov and provide your name, email address, city, state, and organization, if applicable.

©2012 Virginia Disability Law Blog. All Rights Reserved.

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT
- – - – - – -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Social Security Act to protect ordinary Americans “against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age.” Our Nation was entrenched in the Great Depression. Unemployment neared 20 percent, and millions of Americans struggled to provide for themselves and their families. In the midst of all this, the Social Security Act brought hope to some of our most vulnerable citizens, giving elderly Americans income security and bringing us closer to President Roosevelt’s vision of a Nation free from want or fear.

As our country recovers from one of the greatest economic challenges since that time, we are grateful for President Roosevelt’s perseverance, and for the countless public servants whose efforts produced the Social Security program we know today. Seventy-five years later, Social Security remains a safety net for seniors and a source of resilience for all Americans. Since 1935, it has been expanded to include dependent and survivor benefits, disability insurance, and guaranteed medical insurance for seniors through Medicare. It is a lasting promise that we can retire with dignity and peace of mind, that workers who become disabled can support themselves, and that families who suffer the loss of a loved one will not live in poverty.

My Administration is committed to strengthening our retirement system and protecting Social Security as a reliable income source for seniors, workers who develop disabilities, and dependents. After a lifetime of contributions to our Nation and its economy, Americans have earned this support. The new health care law, the Affordable Care Act, helps sustain this commitment and improves the long-term outlook of the Social Security program. My Administration is dedicated to safeguarding Social Security’s promise of retirement with dignity and security.

On the 75th anniversary of the Social Security Act, let us ensure we continue to preserve this program’s original purpose in the 21st century. Together, we can give our children and our grandchildren the same protections we have cherished for decades, and in doing so, lead our Nation to a brighter day.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 14, 2010, as the 75th Anniversary of the Social Security Act. I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that recognize the historic legacy of the Social Security Act, as well as the vital safety net it provides to millions of Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA
# #

©2012 Virginia Disability Law Blog. All Rights Reserved.

“It is long past time that states end these unconscionable furloughs and hiring freezes that needlessly harm citizens with disabilities,” Commissioner Astrue said. “States realize no fiscal savings whatsoever from these actions and this legislation would prevent needless delays in the disability determination process. I am grateful for the President’s support and urge Congress to move quickly to help us make this provision the law of the land.”

More than a dozen states have implemented furloughs and hiring freezes that affect the federally paid state workers who make disability determinations for Social Security. The state agencies that employ these workers in their disability determination service (DDS) components receive 100 percent of their funding from the Federal government. Accordingly, states do not save any money by imposing furloughs and hiring freezes on federally funded employees. Rather, they slow benefits to some of the most vulnerable citizens – for example, furloughs in California in fiscal year 2010 delayed payment of over $11 million in benefits to more than 40,000 citizens with disabilities. State-imposed furloughs and hiring freezes also reduce state income tax revenue and increase unemployment in the state.

“The members of Local 1000 have always believed that furloughing federally funded positions doesn’t make economic sense and that has been proven in California during these past 18 months that Governor Schwarzenegger has imposed furloughs on state employees,” Yvonne Walker, President of Service Employees International Union Local 1000 said. “I applaud Social Security for initiating legislation that would prevent further bad economic policy from going forward. This provision will not only help DDS workers, but the claimants who rely on the services our members provide.”

“We commend the Commissioner for his forceful and dedicated leadership in taking this bold action,” said Susan X. Smith, President of the National Association of Disability Examiners (NADE). “Our members are witness to the impact the current economic recession has had for disabled citizens and we are working hard to meet the dramatic increase in claims for benefits. These furloughs further compound the problems faced by disabled citizens by creating unnecessary delays in the processing of their claims. NADE urges quick action with regards to this legislative proposal.”

©2012 Virginia Disability Law Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Chai Feldblum, a law professor at Georgetown University Law Center, previously served as legislative counsel to the AIDS Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, where she played a role in the drafting of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Her degrees are from Harvard Law School and Barnard College, and she went on to clerk for Judge Frank Coffin on the First Circuit Court of Appeals and Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun.

I have the pleasure of knowing Chai Feldblum and feel that President Obama could not have made a better selection.

©2012 Virginia Disability Law Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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.

©2012 Virginia Disability Law Blog. All Rights Reserved.