The Social Security Administration (SSA) plans to rebuild its workforce as quickly and efficiently as possible after the agency’s months-long hiring freeze has been lifted. SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley recently outlined a strategy so hiring could begin.

The agency is currently at its lowest staffing levels since 1997, leaving employees overworked and causing many to depart from public service. Existing employee fatigue, coupled with the training and hiring of new personnel, could lead to employee errors and subsequent accountability falling on SSA managers, given the existing spotlight on the agency. If this happens, it’s important that managers have the tools to protect themselves – a professional liability insurance (PLI) policy from FEDS can help.

 

Agency Attrition 

According to their budget justification document, attrition has been a predominant issue at SSA, especially at teleservice centers and state disability determination services (DDS).  Despite efforts over the last couple of years to increase staffing numbers, employee headcounts have decreased. Many employees report feeling overwhelmed and overworked due to a lack of training, and subsequently leave their jobs within two years of beginning service. Accordingly, the customer service experience has worsened, leading to longer wait times and delays with disability applications and appeals.

 

"Right now, SSA employees are understaffed, and they are overwhelmed,” O’Malley said. "Not surprisingly, when somebody’s been on hold for an hour, they come off that call hot. We right now have an attrition rate of about 24% in our teleservice centers.”

 

 

The White House requested $15.4 billion for the SSA’s 2025 budget – up $1.2 billion from 2024--to help improve staffing and customer service issues with a goal to reach 60,000 employees. Over the next year, SSA plans to focus in part on veteran hiring, training, and retention, while also partnering with universities and institutions that work with underserved communities – such as high school and community colleges. In addition, SSA requested funding to hire 1,500 interns in 2025. 

 

 

An increased budget would also contain investment in more staffing throughout the agency, including budgets for field offices, processing and hearing centers, teleservice centers and disability determination services (DDS). 

 

Training and oversight of new employees may fall primarily on SSA managers, who are already overworked. If errors are made and issues arise, SSA managers may be subject to allegations of mismanagement, leading to investigations and even lawsuits.  

 

 

As a federal manager, you need to have counsel that has specific federal experience representing you and your professional vulnerabilities regarding civil lawsuits and workplace allegations. As the professional liability insurance (PLI) provider endorsed by the leading federal employee associations,

 

 

FEDS Protection offers federal employee PLI policies with $1 million, $2 million, or $3 million in civil liability protection for attorney’s fees and indemnity costs in the event you are sued in your civil capacity.  The FEDS policy also includes $200,000 of legal representation coverage per incident for administrative actions and $100,000 of coverage for criminal defense costs.  Annual premiums for FEDS Protection PLI start at just $290.  Additionally, federal managers and law enforcement officers are eligible for a reimbursement of up to 50% the cost of their PLI policy through their agency. To learn more about how a FEDS PLI policy can protect you and your career, visit www.fedsprotection.com or call (866) 955-FEDS, M-F 8:30am-6pm.

 

If yes, consider FEDS Protection for your government contracting insurance needs. At FEDS Protection, we also support Federal Contractors by providing insurance coverage specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of today's federal contractors, including Professional Liability, Defense Base Act Insurance, and Foreign Liability coverage.  In our experience, many small businesses need assistance in navigating the insurance portion of a government RFP.

 

The federal government is our specific focus and area of expertise. If you are looking to review your current or upcoming insurance needs, including the unique insurance requirements of any contract involving civilian employees overseas (requiring DBA Insurance and Foreign Liability coverage) please contact us at 866-955-FEDS (3337) or dmoylan@fedsprotection.com.

 

FEDS Protection wants to celebrate those who work together from diverse backgrounds that move our country forward. These efforts are not and cannot be made alone. They are completed each day with empathy, energy, and intentionality. While some moments can be awkward, small wins can be awesome.  Regardless, each inclusive action is worth the effort. 

We hope each of you can play a small part in the path toward progress and continue to do so in your own way. We will continue to stand with you in this effort every step of the journey.

 

"You already know that FLEOA’s legal assistance and representation are only a phone call away. What you might not know is that you also need the protection of a professional liability policy. FLEOA worked with the DOJ and other associations to get the legislation passed so your agency would pay for half the premium – because you need it – for civil suits aka Bivens actions, as well as potential criminal investigation. I recommend FEDS for every FLEOA member.”

- Lawrence Berger, General Counsel (FLEOA)

Contact us if you or your agency are interested in a webinar or brochures that provide federal employees best practices on how to protect themselves with a federal employee professional liability insurance policy like the one offered by FEDS Protection. This benefit is so important, it could be partially reimbursed for many federal employees!

 

June

o Philadelphia Regional Management Association Annual Meeting (Pittsburgh, PA)

o Association of General Contractors (AGC) Federal Contractor’s Conference (Washington D.C.)

o Federal Executive Institute Alumni Association Executive Forum (Washington D.C.)

o Government Procurement Conference (Washington D.C.)

o Dallas Regional Management Association Annual Meeting (Dallas, TX)

o National Association of Contract Specialists National Convention (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

 

July

o Federal Court Clerks Association Conference (Denver, CO)

o National Association of Black Narcotic Agents 45th Leadership & Training Conference                          (Scottsdale, AZ)

o National Contract Managers Association World Congress (Seattle, WA)