The Social Security Administration (SSA) is preparing for significant workforce reductions, with at least 7,000 layoffs expected from its 60,000-employee workforce, according to the Associated Press. The cuts could reach as high as 50%, potentially affecting up to 30,000 employees, a source familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.
The extent to which these layoffs will impact the 72.5 million Social Security beneficiaries remains uncertain. The agency provides retirement and disability benefits to retirees, children, and other recipients who depend on its services.
Advocates and Democratic lawmakers warn that such drastic staffing reductions could severely slow down benefit processing and customer service. “These cuts will reduce the agency’s ability to serve recipients in a timely manner,” a spokesperson for a Social Security advocacy group said.
While SSA has not officially confirmed the potential scale of the layoffs, concerns are growing about delays and disruptions in service.