The Portland (Maine) Press Herald is reporting that Maine DDS employees were furloughed effective yesterday. We have also heard unconfirmed reports that some DDS employees in Arizona and North Carolina may have also been furloughed.
DDS employees process the medical portion of all initial disability claim applications (level 1) and reconsideration appeals (level 2), as well as Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs).
We are closely monitoring this situation to determine if DDS furloughs become a trend. If so, it will have an immediate and negative impact on processing times and the volume of disability decisions made at the initial claim and reconsideration levels.
