Coronavirus Pandemic

SSA’S RESPONSE TO THE 2019 NOVEL CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

On March 13, 2020, the President declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) encouraged all Federal agencies to maximize telework to ensure employees’ safety. In response, the Agency limited field office visits for appointments; continued providing services online and via telephone; and handled critical needs face to face, as appropriate. While continuing to support service delivery, real-time communications, and modernization efforts, the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) took several actions to respond to the national emergency. These actions, such as expanding telework and temporarily suspending some internal processes, allowed for organizational resilience and continued performance. However, the suspension of certain SSA workloads and adverse actions could result in an increase in the number of improper payments and a decrease in the effectiveness of internal controls.