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Welcome to the April 2026 edition of Disability Law News. This issue tracks several new developments with Social Security Administration (SSA) disability policy, technology, and operations. We cover recent concerns related to SSA’s reported sharing of appointment information with ICE and other data-sharing issues, the launch of a new team at SSA focused on SSI, the delay of SSA’s efforts...
Welcome to the January 2026 edition of Disability Law News. In this issue, we lead with an update regarding the Social Security Administration’s decision to withdraw its sweeping “MegaReg” proposal to overhaul the vocational rules. We also cover troubling new details about the misuse of SSA systems and the agency’s ongoing expansion of its data–sharing. Readers will find updates on...
The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) telephone service performance remains under scrutiny following the release of a December 2025 audit by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The report, Social Security Administration’s Telephone Metrics, 032517, was initiated at the request of Senator Elizabeth Warren in response to concerns about whether SSA’s publicly reported wait time metrics accurately reflected the real experience of callers seeking assistance through the national 800 number. […]
...While the Department of Education has recently overhauled its Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge system with the stated goal of improving access, advocates nationwide are reporting serious implementation problems that are creating new barriers for borrowers with disabilities. Since its inception, the Higher Education Act of 1965 has offered debt relief for disabled borrowers […]
...The Social Security Administration recently informed advocates and third-party representatives of a new email address for correspondence: External_Relations@ssa.gov This email replaces the previous address, oea.net.post@ssa.gov. This is not a new mailbox – just a new address for sending inquiries and updates. Advocates should update their records and use the new address for all future communications with SSA regarding policy, outreach, or third-party...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — through its Administration for Children and Families (ACF) — has formally notified 39 state governors that their child welfare agencies are improperly diverting earned Social Security survivor benefits intended for children in foster care. The letters, sent in December 2025, assert that many state child welfare agencies […]
...Representatives who rely on mailing filings, appeals, or other time-sensitive documents should be aware of significant changes in how the United States Postal Service (USPS) handles postmarking. Beginning December 24, 2025, the USPS implemented new procedures for dating mail. 90 Fed. Reg. 52883 (Nov. 24, 2025). The postmarking of letters and packages will occur when the items are […]
...The Social Security Administration (SSA) continues to implement nationwide structural changes that affect both the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), now known as Hearings, and state-based Disability Determination Services (DDS). In a November 2025 “Dear Colleagues” letter, SSA announced a Hearing “Hub” structure to replace the previous regional organization of the OHOs. Unlike the prior model, the Hubs are not geographically grouped. For […]
...In Nunez v. Commissioner of Social Security (2d Cir., 2025), (decided November 25, 2025, but amended on December 29, 2025) the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals addressed the proper formulation of a claimant’s residual functional capacity (RFC) when assessing Social Security disability claims. Giovanni Nunez applied for disability benefits due to chronic panic disorder that affected his ability to concentrate and attend work regularly. The Social […]
...Concerns over Social Security Administration (SSA) data-sharing practices intensified as new details emerged regarding the handling of SSA systems by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and as SSA issues a series of modified Systems of Records Notices (SORNs). The events highlight several significant risks posed by expanded inter-agency access to sensitive SSA data, including the risk of improper voter purges. In a court filing dated January 16, 2026, SSA revealed that it had previously misstated the […]
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