Re: Disputed disability claims clog Social Security system

[Guest guest]

>

> The article in this morning's paper speaks of the long wait for people

> trying to get disability. Most of it cries out that there are not enough

> employees to handle the large influx of applicants without precise

> inabilities. According to the Social Security Commissioner advises that the

> applicant hire a lawyer or other company to carry the case forward because

> they know how to navigate through the maze of the process.

>

> The other thing I heard or read was that there most likely will not get a

> pay increase for the next few years. It's another bad thing for those of us

> that depend on SSDI for our living. There has to be a bright rainbow

> somewhere in this lifetime.

>

> --

> Dennis in eastexas

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I would like to commend on this from the prospective of a former Social Service

worker and supervisor at the County of San Diego.

I'm not sure which group isn't getting the increase in pay. The employees or

the SSDI recipents. I do know from a former co-worker, that the workers in San

Diego will not be getting any increase this year, and only a 2% COLA next year.

It has been several years since they received a COLA raise. For the first five

years you get what is called step increases, these 'raises' are automatic for

the amount of time you work. Once that is over, it's COLA or the rare chance of

a promotion. I do not expect it's much better in the State or Federal

Government jobs. Oh, and these workers, they don't make as much yearly as the

same education and experience level would on the outside. You work these jobs

either because you at least at first wanted to do good, or for the security,

insurance or retirement. Those last reasons are fast going away. Add to this a

resentment from the public, and you think people call the disabled lazy, oh the

stories I can tell. Well, when was the last time a leader in your community

called everyone in your place of employment a bottom feeding scum sucker, and if

they just got rid of the welfare worker the County would save millions. Not

sure of how this elected offical thought she would get the federally and state

mandated work completed, that was completely funded by the Feds and State, but

that's a story in political stupidity.

So, while there is a backlog. Don't take it out on the worker on the phone. As

a example, Food Stamp applications and cases are going up, way up. The workers

(and they are hiring any more) are taking in 20% or more cases, with no Overtime

allowed, and harassed if they are behind in meeting deadlines. Okay, I will

give you that SSA does not have to complete their applications with any

deadlines that I know of, maybe they should.

Oh, there a tangent for you. How about deadlines for completing paperwork,

evaluations, appeals, and hearings for SSDI? And penalities that favor the

applicant if SSA can not meet them? This was a ramdom thought, but maybe this

is something we could do. As a large group, maybe we could do something that

will help those of us trying to get a benefit that we paid into.

Well where sis this soapbox come from.

Dennis W wrote:

>

> The article in this morning's paper speaks of the long wait for people

> trying to get disability. Most of it cries out that there are not enough

employees to handle the large influx of applicants without precise inabilities.

According to the Social Security Commissioner advises that the applicant hire a

lawyer or other company to carry the case forward because they know how to

navigate through the maze of the process.

>

> The other thing I heard or read was that there most likely will not get a pay

increase for the next few years. It's another bad thing for those of us that

depend on SSDI for our living. There has to be a bright rainbow somewhere in

this lifetime.