Social Security field offices throughout the country began closing their doors to the public 30 minutes earlier each day beginning August 15, 2011 due to budget concerns. Congress recently cut the budget of the Social Security Administration (SSA) by nearly $1 billion, thus “mak[ing] it impossible for the [SSA] to provide the amount of overtime needed to handle service to the public as we have in the past.”According Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, “[w]hile agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter public window will allow us to complete face-to-face service with the visiting public without incurring the cost of overtime for our employees.
Even though the SSA offices are available to the public for 30 fewer minutes each day, those pursuing social security disability claims are reminded that most social security services do not require a trip to an SSA office. Anyone wishing to apply for benefits, sign up for direct deposit, replace a Medicare card, obtain a proof of income letter, or inform the SSA of a change of address or telephone number may do so online at www.socialsecurity.gov or by calling the SSA at (800) 772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Most offices in and around Chicago are open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For a complete list of SSA offices in Illinois, along with the offices’ hours, please see the SSA’s website at https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/Controller. The following are some of the SSA offices located in and around Chicago:
- Aurora (1325 N. Lake St.)
- Chicago (4849 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
- Chicago (77 W. Jackson Blvd.)
- Chicago (1233 W. Adams St.)
- Chicago (4631 S. Ashland Ave.)
- Chicago (2127 W. Lawrence Ave.)
- Chicago (6338 S. Cottage Grove Rd.)
- Chicago (1111 E. 87th St.)
- Chicago (3260 W. Fullerton Ave.)
- Chicago (8658 S. Sacramento Ave.)
- Chicago (1279 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
- Chicago (2416 S. Pulaski Rd.)
- Chicago (5130 W. North Ave.)
- Chicago Heights (104 S. Halsted St.)
- Elgin (790 Fletcher Dr.)
- Evanston (2116 Green Bay Rd.)
- Joliet (158 N. Scott St.)
- North Riverside (7222 W. Cermak Rd.)
- Prospect Heights (215 S. Elmhurst Rd.)
- Waukegan (1930 N. Lewis Ave.)