{"id":28096,"date":"2023-11-27T14:41:36","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T14:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/11\/27\/social-security-agency-attrition-may-undermine-hiring-plan-union-says\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:15:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:15:45","slug":"social-security-agency-attrition-may-undermine-hiring-plan-union-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/management\/career-management\/2023\/11\/27\/social-security-agency-attrition-may-undermine-hiring-plan-union-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Security agency turnover may undermine hiring plans, union says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Note: This story was updated on Nov. 27 to include responses from the Social Security Administration. <\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A union representing 42,000 employees at the Social Security Administration<\/a> says the agency\u2019s plans to leverage direct-hire authority and other tools to boost recruitment in 2024 may be undermined by high attrition rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to survey data obtained by Federal Times, nearly 24% of new hires are looking to leave the agency, most in as little as two years, and for various reasons including retirement or to take another job. About 22% of those who said they\u2019re leaving cited feeling overworked. This year, the agency more than doubled the number of new staff brought in during the prior two fiscal years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turnover can vary between agencies, though the federal government\u2019s attrition rate<\/a> surveying 2 million employees has held steady at around 6% in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll in all, this indicates that SSA\u2019s short term strategy of focusing resources on hiring, rather than investment in current experienced employees, has not been effective in improving morale and reducing attrition,\u201d said Rich Couture, president of Council 215 of the American Federation of Government Employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\t