Are all SSA offices like this?

[slsh]

I detest dealing with- our local SSA, truly truly truly. I don't know if it's just this office, or if they're all run this way (and if they are... it's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous).

thank you lost his SS card, and I lost mine probably 20 years ago. Since he has to get a new one, I decided to go up with him. Oh. My. Goodness. Windows 1-10, plus A-F. Of these 16 windows, all but 3 are closed. There are probably (no exaggeration) 50+ people sitting in the waiting room. We got our # at 9:44. At 11:15, I said "I'm outta here". Because they don't call you in the order you arrived. Noooo, that would make too much sense. If you need a new card, you get a number with- an A in front of it. For everything else, you get a regular #. We were waiting on A163 when I arrived. They called zero (count them, zero) A numbers in the first hour. But they called regular #s 44 through 63, including at least 8 people (I was counting) who got there *after* us. Then they called A163 through 167 - I was 169.

I had to wrap some raffle gifts, drop them off at Weeburt's school, and pick him up early, so I left thank you there, took Boo and went out to the van to start wrapping. Murphy's doggone Law strikes again. By the time I had finished wrapping and was heading out of the parking lot, here comes thank you bopping on out. Sure enough, about a minute after I left, they called A168. ARGGGHHH!!!

They gave him a notice that said "by law" they are only allowed to issue 3 cards per year and 10 per lifetime per person. Something about that really triggered my difficult child side. I told thank you I was *really* tempted to go up there every 6 months to get a new card (and take up knitting or needle pointing or basket weaving to prepare for the ridiculous waits) and see what they say when I need card #11. I mean, really - what can they do??? Say sorry, you don't get another one???? What a bunch of bologna.

There has got to be a better way to do this - like maybe take people in the order they come into the stupid office?


I seriously need a vacation in a warm spot with a *lot* of drinks with- umbrellas in them. My tolerance for pretty much everything is hitting an all time low.

 

[AnnieO]

Pretty much.

Now - we had a very small one in the county seat where I live. When I first got married to XH, I went and got my card in person. I was one of about 5 people in the waiting room. I got there before they opened at 8:00, so I waited - they unlocked the door at 8:15 (ish, this was 13 years ago).

No take a number. One person. One window. They did call us in order. I was second. I got called in after 10:00. It took the lady over 45 minutes just to input my one-page app into the computer and tell me they'd mail my new card to me.

Seriously? And when I got it? It was a form that had been run through a printer.

I had my birth certficate, marriage certificate, driver's license, and photo ID from work PLUS two bills to prove residency. HELLO, IT'S ME!

 

[cubsgirl]

I'm in the Chicago 'burbs too. I had to visit SSA twice but it was about my own SSDI. It didn't take long at all but I wasn't replacing my SS card. I cannot believe they didn't just do the order that you arrive in.

Now the DMV -- that is a place to avoid at all costs. I was there for hours while they had 2-3 windows open (and plenty of room to open new ones if they wanted).

I wish the Government would hire me as an efficiency consultant -

 

[Hound dog]

Find a small town office and go there instead.

If I go to Chillicothe.........I wait for an eternity.....staff is rude as well, acting as if we should be thrilled they showed up to work to help us.

If I do it here in town (only open 4 days a month), staff is polite.........it's crowded but people are taken in order and the process goes rather quickly. I've never heard of said limit on the cards. Wonder if you were just getting hot air blown at you. lol

Now if I could just managed to remember which of those 4 days out of the month ours is open..........I'd go get Travis and me new cards as husband decided to take care of ours.........and now they're lost. ugh

 

[AnnieO]

LOL - Lisa - come visit me. Our county is still so backwards, it's quick. LOL!

 

[flutterby]

I was going to say what Step and Lisa said - find a small office, or an office in a smaller town to go to. I do the same with the BMV , as well.

 

[Hound dog]

Yup also works for the BMV. lol Even when we were living in dayton..........husband drove me to a small town to do the written exam for changing my license over, so I wouldn't have to wait all day to get it done. Took 2 mins waiting in line and 10 to take the test. Did the same with the girls too. lol

 

[JJJ]

Slsh -- I don't think we use the same SSA office but ours is equally bad. When I first adopted the kids, I went in (with the children in tow) to try and get new ss numbers issued since their old ones were all over paperwork across the state and birthfamilies had those numbers. She said that I needed more than just birth certificates. Um, what other IDs do babies have???? She argued that I didn't need new numbers, a supervisor finally came over and explained that adoption was one of the few times that a new number can be issued because legally they are a 'new' person. Supervisor said that the adoption court order would count as a 2nd form of ID. So I go home, get the court order and when I return I get the same woman, her response to me, "I didn't think you wanted them to know they were adopted." I just stared at her and then turned to look at my very blantantly transracially adopted kids -- two of whom were old enough that it was clear they had memories from before we adopted them. I told her 'we decided to tell them' -- seriously???

 

[donna723]

I have to drive 60 miles to get to the closest social security office! This is a relatively small office and it was pretty much like what you describe but I've never had to wait more than a half hour. The people seemed to know what they were doing and for anything that will take a while you have to make an appointment in advance so the wait is not really too bad. I made sure to go on a weekday morning, not too close to the lunch hour when half the workers would be gone. Same with the driver's license office. If you have to renew you want to make sure you go early and not wait till the end of the month when a lot of people suddenly realize that they need to renew their license and all try to go at once. Mine just had to be renewed and for the first time, I did it online - really easy and I had the new one in only about three days!

 

[TerryJ2]

Yes, that's typical. I have no idea why they have so many windows and so few employees working at them. However, I can see through the windows and there are lots of people in the back, consulting with-customers who have detailed issues.
The DMV is much worse. Way more windows, way fewer employees. I just don't get it.

At least the people at the SSA are very nice.

I'm in line for that 11th card, too. Wet Paint, Don't Touch. That's me.

 

[TerryJ2]

Oh, by the way, I have gone back 5X to figure out what's going on with-my cousin's payments. Finally brought her along, and there was a computer login at the front desk. I always touch the button that says "renew" or something. This time I hit "other."
We got in in less than 10 min.
Now I know what to do ...

 

[donna723]

As a former State employee of 24 years, I can tell you exactly why there aren't enough employees at the DMV offices! Most states find themselves in a budget crunch and when they do, the very first place they look to cut back is to do away with more and more state employees. People leave and are not replaced and the ones who are left are just expected to absorb the extra workload. So the fewer employees they have, the longer it will take to do things like get your drivers license renewed!

 

[HaoZi]

It was a nightmare to get my license when I moved to IN. Soooo much extra paperwork than anywhere else I lived (including FL, which says a lot). It took me over a year to get all the frikkin paperwork. But what really got me is how my expired passport was good enough for the FEDS but not good enough for the STATE. Exqueeze me?

 

[svengandhi]

When oldest boy turned 16, we went to DMV for his learner's permit. After standing on the line for almost 2 hours, we found out that he had two SS #'s. When he was a born, we hyphenated his name but realized after a few days that it was just too long so we filed an amended birth certificate removing the hyphen. They sent us a new SS card which I filed away. I never compared the numbers on the 2 but used the first number with the second name. Anyway, I had to go to SSA to get it straightened out. I waited two hours there but finally got a letter that I could take to DMV showing the right number and name.

Fast forward three years. I learn the day before it's due that difficult child needs working papers and H has misplaced his SS card. I went to SSA - right across the street from the train station so I didn't even have to drive, expecting to have to take the half day from work. Instead, they've revamped and divided the services in to groups. I was in and out in 20 minutes with a letter sufficient to get difficult child his working papers. His new card arrived in less than a week.

I've also heard that you can now make appointments for filing for retirement or SSD and you come at that time and they will see you then.

 

[Shari]

Don't ya love it?

difficult child 1's bio mom lost his card, so when it was time to get his permit, we had to go to the SSA to get a card, in order to get his permit. But, he had to have photo ID to get a new SS card. It was a flippin' circus, and we finally went in one day when someone who "wasn't quite on top of their game" and slipped and ordered the card for him. I thought we were never gonna get that kid's permit.

 

[TerryJ2]

Yes, you can make an appointment online. Supposedly. Heck if I can find the link on my computer, though. It took me so long to navigate, that it was faster to go in person!