Tag: Social Security Administration

Commentary: After Telework Surge, Federal Buildings Remain Largely Empty

RealClearWire
Empty Office

More than two years after the Biden administration called on all federal agencies to create plans to bring employees who teleworked during the COVID pandemic back to the office, the vast majority of Washington, D.C.’s federal buildings are still sprawling expanses of empty, echoing hallways and offices. 

In fact, 17 of 24 federal agencies use an estimated 25% or less of their headquarters’ office capacity, according to an updated survey by the General Accounting Office, a government agency that provides auditing and investigative services for Congress. 

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Sen. Joni Ernst Releases List of Federal Agencies with High Employee No-Show Rates Post-COVID

Just the News
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

With Christmas fast-approaching, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa put out a “naughty list” of government agencies that have high no-show rates of employees who have not returned to the office after the COVID-19 pandemic ended.

According to Ernst’s list, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Social Security Administration top the list with just 7 percent office occupancy rates.

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Social Security Recipients to Get a 3.2 Percent Benefits Increase in 2024

Just the News

The Social Security Administration announced Thursday that benefits will increase 3.2% in 2024 for the country’s over 70 million recipients. 

This will result in the average monthly check for a retired worker to rise to $1,907. That’s up $59 from $1,827 this year, according to Forbes.

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Social Security Now Allowing People to Choose Their Own Gender

Michigan Star Staff

The Social Security Administration will allow people to self-select their sex on social security documents without providing legal or medical documents to verify their sex, according to a Wednesday announcement.

The agency will accept individuals’ self-identification regardless of whether it matches their other documents and will supply Social Security cards accordingly, the agency announced. The move comes amid a push from the Biden administration to facilitate gender transitions and help transgender people change their sex on government records more easily.

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Reps Tom Emmer and Tim Walberg Secure Survivors Benefits for Homeschoolers After Social Security Originally Denied Them Because of Their School Choice

Corinne Murdock

Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN-06), alongside Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI-07), secured survivors benefits for homeschooled children. Prior to this, Minnesota and Michigan blocked homeschoolers over 17 and 18 respectively from attaining benefits.
According to the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), both states were cutting off Social Security Administration (SSA) survivors benefits to homeschoolers due to “lack of proof” of their status as full-time students. In both states’ eyes, the students didn’t meet state compulsory education laws. 

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IG Estimates: Social Security Pays Billions in Benefits to Those With No Numbers

Michigan Star Staff

A new Inspector General (IG) audit of the Social Security Administration (SSA) found that it paid $1 billion in benefits to individuals who do not have Social Security numbers (SSN). Because the audit was of a sampling, the actual amount is estimated to be much higher.

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