WASHINGTON — The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a series of new initiatives aimed at increasing transparency and accountability, Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek said Tuesday.
“President Trump has been clear that good government must serve the People. This begins with being transparent in how its government makes decisions and operates as good stewards of the resources entrusted to it,” Dudek said in a statement. “With this guiding principle in mind, Social Security is taking several important steps to increase transparency and accountability in order to help others understand our agency’s work and the complexities we navigate.”
Key initiatives include:
- Strengthened Identity Proofing: The SSA has implemented stricter identity verification requirements for individuals applying for cash benefits or changing direct deposit information without a “my Social Security” account. A new webpage, “What to Know about Proving Your Identity | SSA,” has been published to explain the policy.
- Weekly Operational Report Meetings: Starting March 14, 2025, recordings of the Acting Commissioner’s Weekly Operational Report (WOR) meetings with senior leadership will be available on the SSA’s YouTube channel. These meetings address agency challenges and decision-making processes. The playlist is titled: SSA Weekly Operational Report Meetings.
- Agency Actions Summary: Dudek has published a summary of selected agency challenges, proposed options, and final decisions on the “Agency Actions | SSA” webpage. The SSA plans to update this page periodically.
- National 800 Number Wait Times: The SSA is increasing transparency regarding wait times for its national 800 number. Information on wait time challenges is available on the “Social Security Performance | SSA” and “Contact Social Security By Phone” pages.
- Efficiencies and Cost Avoidance: The SSA, in collaboration with the General Services Administration, has published an “Efficiencies and Cost Avoidance” webpage detailing soft-term lease terminations for unused or underutilized office space. The page clarifies the impact of these terminations on public access.
- Workforce Update: The SSA has implemented voluntary departure and frontline customer service reassignment opportunities to optimize its workforce. Details are available on the “Workforce Update | News | SSA” webpage.
The SSA said these actions are designed to improve public understanding of the agency’s operations and enhance customer service.
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