Social Security OIG Releases Larson, Reed Requested Report on COVID-19 Safety

Statement

Yesterday, the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General released a report, "Safety of Employees and Visitors Since March 2020", that House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John B. Larson (CT-01) and Republican Leader Tom Reed (NY-23) requested. The report can be found here.

"I thank the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for conducting this report. SSA must do everything it can to ensure Americans are able to access their earned benefits, while keeping employees and the public safe. The OIG found that due to COVID-19, SSA limited the number of field office visitors, maximized telework, and took a number of additional measures to protect health and safety of both employees and visitors. Unfortunately, many individuals have struggled to obtain their benefits during the pandemic. The report's findings are timely as SSA works to reopen its field offices to the public," said Larson.

"As this and other reports from the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) have shown, the initial response to COVID-19 necessitated a drastic change in how the SSA conducted business, including the closure of offices to the general public. While the OIG's report paints a picture of an agency largely focused on the health and welfare of both the public and its workforce, it also demonstrates how the SSA's response reduced the public's access to services and raises concerns about prioritizing the safety of some employees over others. I look forward to continuing to work with the OIG and the SSA to ensure that these issues are addressed as offices begin to reopen to the public," said Reed.

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