Social Security Employees Grill Management During Tense Shutdown Meeting

Social Security Employees Challenge Management Amid Government Shutdown

As the government shutdown extends into its second month, leaders at the Social Security Administration (SSA) express growing concern about the agency's ability to serve approximately 70 million Americans who rely on its benefits.

WIRED obtained notes from a Thursday SSA call involving over a thousand managers nationwide, who spoke with field operations chief Andy Sriubas about the severe impact of the shutdown.

Staff Struggles and Agency Challenges

Managers openly shared the hardships faced by employees, including difficulties affording gas to commute and fears about job security. One employee revealed:

“People are coming to me saying they cannot put gas in their car and they cannot afford to come to work anymore, and they'll need to get other jobs. Pretty soon they won't be able to afford to work at the agency.”

Sriubas acknowledged the pressure these challenges create, noting the closure of an office in California due to staffing shortages:

“My heart's breaking because I hear all this stuff across the country. We had to close an office in California today because we didn't have enough people to open the doors … Nobody wants to close an office … But I also understand that people have to live their lives and they have limited means to do that when you're now missing your second full paycheck.”

Impact of the Shutdown

These developments underscore the severe strain the prolonged shutdown places on the SSA workforce and its ability to provide essential services.

Author's summary: The extended government shutdown is forcing Social Security employees to confront financial struggles and staffing shortages, threatening the agency's critical services nationwide.

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WIRED WIRED — 2025-11-07

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