For nearly a decade, Alabama has ranked among the top 10 states with the highest number of residents per capita relying on Social Security.
Office Closures Announced
That context made the Department of Government Efficiency’s recent announcement surprising to many. The agency plans to close four Social Security offices in Gadsden, Anniston, Jasper, and Cullman.
A News 19 crew visited the Cullman office, where doors remained open, but the timeline for closure remains uncertain. Employees declined to comment on the situation.
Shift to Virtual Services
A spokesperson for the Social Security Administration (SSA) stated that most hearings now take place online, with 20% of U.S. offices having no in-person hearings in 2024. However, they did not specify when the Alabama offices would close.
“We are working with GSA to review our leases and ensure they are used efficiently. Most of the leases we are not renewing are for small remote hearing sites that are co-located with other federal space. As the majority of our hearings are held virtually, we no longer need as many in-person hearing locations. In fact, in FY24, twenty percent of these offices held no in-person hearings. Other offices are non-public facing, being consolidated into nearby locations, or we had planned to close. Social Security continuously monitors and evaluates the use of our office space to maximize efficiency for the American taxpayer. Please contact GSA if you have further questions.” said Social Security Administration Spokesperson
Permanent Closure for Cullman Office
Former Secretary of State John Merrill suggested that the Cullman office closure appears permanent.
“At this point, it appears that the closure will be permanent. It appears that DOGE has determined that this is not an essential office. It appears as though the constituents impacted by this decision will be directed to the nearest office, which will probably be in Birmingham or Huntsville. The local employees are not authorized to speak on behalf of the Social Security Administration.” according to John Merrill, Former Secretary of State.
The SSA also announced plans to cut 7,000 additional positions nationwide, contributing to the decision to close several offices. However, an official closure date for the Alabama locations has not yet been confirmed.
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