Social Security’s Hidden Call Strategy: What It Means for You
If you are applying for Social Security disability, are already a Social Security disability recipient, or are reliant on the Social Security Administration (SSA) for something else like retirement benefits, you count on the Social Security’s representatives to be there for you. If you have needed to reach the SSA this year, you may have noticed that your wait time was significantly longer than in the past or that the person you spoke with was unable to resolve your issue.
The problems started when the Social Security Administration lost more than 10% of its workforce during the DOGE push to downsize the federal government early in the Trump administration. Between early retirement buyouts, resignations and involuntary terminations, the Social Security Administration lost about 7,000 employees in the first few months of 2025. By May, the average wait time for a call to the SSA was reportedly 93 minutes–more than 50% longer than callers waited in 2024.
How Does Social Security’s 2025 Call Rerouting Work?
Social Security’s employees report frustration with the new system, in that it often results in a call being rerouted to a field office that is unable to address the colors concerns. Social Security’s members say that’s because only the local field office to which an application or recipient is assigned has access to make changes.
That makes sense from a quality control perspective, but has become problematic as those calls have been randomly routed around to the country based on call volume instead of the appropriate field office. That leaves people trying to reach the SSA waiting on hold, only to discover that the person they speak to can’t offer them any more than to pass on a message.
The Social Security’s claims that worker assertions that they are being routed calls they do not have the authority to resolve are untrue. The agency said that field offices have the ability to answer inquiries and resolve issues for callers from around the country.
However, NPR investigated and discovered that the SSA’s own website reported that during an August visit by Commissioner Frank Bisignano to an SSA office in New Jersey “employees shared a specific challenge: sometimes, when answering calls from outside their office’s traditional service area, they were unable to fully assist a very small percentage of customers due to system constraints.”
Changes To The SSA Call System Are Not Helping Most Social Security Disability Recipients
In the face of criticism about the delays, the administration made some interesting choices about how to handle increased wait times. One was to alter the way wait times are reported, making it difficult to compare the current experience with the past. The Social Security’s website currently reports having saved Americans tens of millions of hours in the past year, even as both users and staff report obstacles and delays.
Another was to reorganize staff and change the way calls to the SSA are routed. In theory, those changes could have helped with efficiency and made it easier for retirees and Social Security Disability applicants and recipients to get the information and assistance they need. However, those who rely on the Social Security Administration and many of those employed by the SSA suggest the opposite is true.
Calls to the 800 Number are Answered in an Average of 7 Minutes–But How Does that Help?
The SSA reported recently that calls to the 800 number are being answered, on average, in seven minutes. That sounds promising and does mean that Social Security disability applicants and recipients get a live person faster. Unfortunately, that person often can’t really assist.
The President of Council 220 of the American Federation of Government Employees explained to the Washington Post that the 800 number is intended for triage, whereas the actual work of resolving issues and clearing issues is done by customer service representatives.
Unfortunately, those new quicker response times for the 800 number have been accomplished at least in part by moving workers from field offices to answer the phones. That means there are even fewer people available to actually solve the callers’ problems.
Telephone Services are Safe for Now
The SSA also floated a plan to eliminate or limit telephone-based services for some processes, such as obtaining tax documents from the SSA or reporting a change of address. However, that plan was abandoned after widespread objection based on the difficulty senior citizens might experience in being forced online to address these issues.
Self-Service Phone Options Have Actually Improved
One 2025 change has the potential to help some people who have business with the SSA. The self-service telephone options have been expanded, meaning that more people can accomplish their goals without having to wait to speak to a human being. This mainly benefits people with relatively straightforward issues who can’t or don’t want to use the online system.
Navigating Social Security Disability
Unless your issue is a simple one like needing to change your address–one that can be managed online or through the automated phone system–the frustrations seem likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate the Social Security disability application and appeals processes alone. While there are some issues only the SSA can address, our expert disability benefits advocates can answer many of your questions and help you complete your application and other forms, initiate an appeal, gather and submit supplemental information and otherwise manage your claim without Social Security’s customer service.
Our Knowledgeable Advocates Can Help
At Disability Help Group, our expert SSDI advocates are fully dedicated to helping people with disabilities secure the benefits you worked for and deserve. Whether you’re just preparing to file a Social Security disability application or have been denied and need to file a request for reconsideration or request a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ), we can help. And, we’ll work hard to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible.
To learn more about how we can help, call us at 800-800-3332 or fill out our contact form HERE for a FREE CASE EVALUATION!
