Overview

• The SSA shifted about 1,000 customer service representatives from field offices to its toll-free line, boosting phone agents by roughly 25 percent.
• Spokesman Stephen McGraw said the reallocation affects 4 percent of field staff and has no defined end date.
• Call volume climbed to an average of 8.6 million monthly between January and June 2025, up from 6.6 million in the same period last year, driving wait times to 93 minutes.
• About 90 percent of callers now use a callback feature and 30 percent of inquiries are handled through automated options, easing some pressure on live agents.
• Union leaders and policy experts warn that the temporary shift may delay complex field office casework and stress that stopgap fixes cannot replace long-term staffing solutions.