Furloughing workers who help the needy is “fundamentally irrational,” says Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue. Disability, unemployment and food stamps are funded by the federal government. “People should be getting their benefits.” See full story here:

A number of states are furloughing employees, including Social Security employees who process medical records and make preliminary decisions. Paradoxically, states may be laying off the very employees who should be processing stimulus checks for currect recipients. In an interview with the Commissioner of Social Security, the Federal Times reports:

“The state furloughs are “disappointingly cynical,” SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue said in an interview with Federal Times. “They understand they’re not saving any money and that it’s actually anti-stimulus because it’s taking money away from state’s citizens.”

The SSA-funded employees evaluate medical records and disability claims of Americans applying for disability benefits to determine if they qualify. They are known as DDS employees; DDS stands for disability determination services.
The seven states furloughing these employees are California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Oregon. Other states have furloughed state employees but exempted DDS employees.” See Federal Times here: