Imagine calling the Social Security Administration (SSA) but having your call rerouted to an entirely different city.<\/p>\n
The SSA recently changed its phone system to reduce wait times by routing calls to any available staff member nationwide, not just those at a local office.<\/p>\n
As a result, many callers are now speaking to employees who can\u2019t actually help them.<\/p>\n
Angela Digeronimo, a claims specialist in New Jersey and president of a union representing 25 offices in the state, called it a \u201chit or miss\u201d situation.<\/p>\n
She told<\/a> NPR, “If it’s someone else’s office, the jurisdiction is someone else’s. You can’t take action on it because your office does not have the ability to clear that claim. You have to refer it over to the servicing office, which is what the members of the public thought they were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n So what went wrong?<\/p>\n Don’t miss\u2018This is ineffective\u2019<\/p>\n The SSA initially said its new phone routing system was working as intended.<\/p>\n \u201cAll SSA field offices are equipped to handle inquiries,\u201d a spokesperson told NPR.<\/p>\n But many frontline workers say that\u2019s not how the system works in practice. They point out that only the office assigned to a case can take meaningful action, due to system restrictions that limit access by jurisdiction. As a result, callers often reach someone who can\u2019t actually help them.<\/p>\n Union representatives say the change is causing delays and confusion. Amber Westbrook, a union chapter president in Chicago, acknowledged the system is \u201cvery specific to the office that we can do things in.\u201d<\/p>\n She added that while workers in other offices may be able to view a case, they often can\u2019t take action if it falls outside their jurisdiction.<\/p>\n Advocates warn the stakes are high. Jen Burdick, a supervising attorney at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, said the system is slowing down efforts to secure disability benefits, and risks eroding public trust.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like perhaps there was good intentions here, but this is ineffective\u2026 I\u2019m worried that it\u2019ll undermine confidence in the system,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n After Commissioner Frank Bisignano visited an SSA office in New Jersey on August 1 and heard concerns from staff, the agency said it made an overnight system update to address the issue.<\/p>\n Still, employees remain uncertain about what\u2019s changed \u2014 or what happens next. “They haven’t really given us a whole lot of idea of how long this is going to last,\u201d Westbrook said.<\/p>\n Read more: Nervous about the stock market? Gain potential quarterly income through this $1B private real estate fund \u2014 even if you\u2019re not a millionaire. Here\u2019s how to get started with as little as $10<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 5 tips for slashing SSA call wait times<\/p>\n SSA\u2019s official data says the average wait time on the national 800 number is about 18.5 minutes. But a survey<\/a> by Sen. Elizabeth Warren\u2019s office found the average was closer to 102 minutes, with 1 in 3 callers waiting more than two hours.<\/p>\n Those hit hardest are often seniors, disabled Americans, rural residents, and people without internet access, for whom long waits or misrouted calls can lead to missed deadlines and lost income.<\/p>\n So what can you do in the meantime?<\/p>\n Here are a few insider tricks that could cut your wait time \u2014 and your stress:<\/p>\n 1. Book in advance<\/strong> As of January 6, 2025, the SSA moved to appointment-only for most in-office services. The agency says<\/a> the change has reduced average wait times from 30 minutes to less than 23 minutes.<\/p>\n 2. Go digital<\/strong> Create a My Social Security account to skip the phone altogether. In 2024, SSA processed<\/a> more than 441 million transactions online.<\/p>\n 3. Use callback<\/strong> When you call 1-800-772-1213, select the callback feature<\/a>. It won\u2019t solve every issue, but at least you won\u2019t be stuck on hold.<\/p>\n 4. Avoid peak times<\/strong> Call volumes spike during the first week of the month, especially around benefit payment days. Avoiding those times may mean a faster response.<\/p>\n 5. Get trusted help<\/strong> If managing SSA issues is overwhelming, you can appoint<\/a> a representative payee \u2014 a trusted person or organization approved by SSA to handle your benefits and budgeting.<\/p>\n What to read next<\/p>\n