Key facts
- The Social Security Administration (SSA) lost approximately 7,500 employees between January 2025 and January 2026 due to cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
- These workforce reductions have led to longer processing times for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims, with initial decisions averaging 6 to 8 months.
- The SSA is now actively hiring new staff and investing in technology to improve services and ease workloads.
- The cuts have resulted in increased hearing backlogs and significantly longer wait times for field office appointments and phone inquiries.
- Some SSA field offices have experienced temporary or permanent closures due to insufficient staffing.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is working to recover from significant staffing reductions that have impacted its ability to serve beneficiaries, particularly those applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The agency lost approximately 7,500 employees between January 2025 and January 2026, about 13% of its workforce, as a result of budget cuts mandated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration. This has led to extended processing times for disability claims, with initial decisions now taking 6 to 8 months and reconsiderations 3 to 6 months, sometimes longer. Hearing backlogs have also increased by 4 to 6 months in some regions. The cuts have also strained customer service, with long wait times for phone inquiries and field office appointments, and have led to temporary or permanent office closures. The SSA is now focused on rehiring staff and improving technology to manage the increased workloads and restore service levels.