Thousands of Social Security Administration (SSA) employees in the Kansas City region are facing uncertainty about their job security as the agency announces major restructuring plans.
The region, which includes hundreds of workers in Kansas City and more across field offices in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa, is set to be absorbed into a new Mid-West/West Region under the SSA’s nationwide reorganization.
The sudden announcement has left many workers questioning their future, with some worried about the potential impact on Social Security benefits and customer service in the four-state area.
Five SSA employees spoke to The Star, expressing concerns about how the cuts could disrupt timely benefit payments. Four of them requested anonymity due to fear of professional consequences.
Garth Stocking, secretary of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1336 and an SSA employee, said staff morale is low. Some longtime employees are considering early retirement, while newer hires are updating their resumes.
Adding to the uncertainty, the SSA has provided little information on where the newly consolidated regional office will be headquartered. Kansas City currently houses a regional office with 163 employees and a program service center with nearly 1,000.
Meanwhile, the General Services Administration (GSA) has listed the Richard Bolling Federal Building—home to several federal agencies, including the SSA—as a “non-core” property potentially up for sale.
An internal SSA email on Feb. 27 informed employees they could resign or retire if they wished to avoid the restructuring.
Workers were also offered Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP) of up to $25,000 if they left by March 14.
One worker described widespread anxiety among staff, saying, “People who can retire are scrambling to figure out if they should take the VSIP, while those who have to stay are panicking.”
The SSA’s press office for the Kansas City region did not respond to inquiries.
Political Backlash and Community Concerns
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat, criticized the administration for failing to communicate with local leaders about the changes.
He said federal agencies typically consult with Congress before making significant workforce reductions, but that hasn’t happened this time.
Cleaver expressed concern that job cuts could lead to errors in Social Security payments, calling for “great care” in any staffing reductions. “These are real human beings, and they’re being treated like inanimate objects,” he said.
The SSA is just one of several federal agencies making cuts in Kansas City. Last month, about 100 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees in the city were laid off as part of a broader downsizing effort.
Reports indicate the IRS may cut nearly half its national workforce, which could significantly impact Kansas City’s federal workforce of approximately 30,000 employees.
Missouri House Minority Leader Ashley Aune warned that mass layoffs could harm the local economy. “Kansas City has a huge federal workforce, and we don’t have thousands of open jobs waiting for these folks,” she said.
SSA Justifies Cuts Amid Musk’s Influence
The SSA’s restructuring coincides with Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, which has pushed for rapid downsizing across multiple agencies.
Acting SSA Commissioner Leland Dudek took office last month following the resignation of his predecessor, reportedly due to disagreements over DOGE’s involvement in Social Security operations.
Musk, a vocal critic of Social Security, recently called the program “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time” on The Joe Rogan Experience.
President Donald Trump echoed similar sentiments during his congressional address, claiming that SSA data showed tens of millions of beneficiaries over the age of 100, implying fraud. However, fact-checkers have debunked these claims, citing misinterpretations of SSA’s data systems.
In a news release on Friday, the SSA defended its decision, saying the agency must “reduce its bloated workforce and organizational structure” while ensuring mission-critical services remain intact.
The agency aims to shrink its workforce from 57,000 to 50,000 employees, primarily through retirements and resignations, but layoffs remain a possibility. The SSA’s Reduction in Force (RIF) plan is expected by March 13, though no timeline for layoffs has been provided.
Impact on Service and Future Uncertainty
SSA employees worry that fewer workers will mean more errors, ultimately creating additional work. One worker contemplating a VSIP departure expressed guilt over leaving colleagues behind to handle an increasing workload.
The potential relocation of SSA offices adds another layer of uncertainty. The Richard Bolling Federal Building, which houses several SSA operations, appeared on the GSA’s “non-core” federal properties list this week. While the agency later removed the list from its website, the building’s future remains unclear.
The AFGE has warned that the cuts could lead to longer wait times and delays in benefits. National AFGE President Everett Kelley condemned the restructuring, saying, “The American people deserve better than broken promises and a hostile takeover of Social Security by unaccountable billionaires.”
As the SSA moves forward with its workforce reduction plan, employees, lawmakers, and advocacy groups continue to question whether these changes will truly improve efficiency—or leave millions of beneficiaries facing unnecessary hardship.
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