Public Contact Careers

Claims Representative/Claims Authorizer (Social Insurance Specialists)

As a claims representative or a claims authorizer, you will assist the public in person, by mail, or by phone to establish entitlement to Social Security benefits. Your contacts will allow you to obtain, clarify and verify data used to analyze claims and make benefit entitlement decisions.

Claims representatives work in each of our 1,300 field offices and our international offices of operations. Claims authorizers work in one of our six program service centers nationwide or in our Headquarters location in Baltimore, Maryland.

Before assuming your duties, you will participate in nearly six months of training. Your career as a claims representative or claims authorizer will allow you to develop skills that can prepare you for promotions into positions as a technical expert on Social Security programs or a manager.

Please note:

Salary information is based on 2008 salary data and is provided for informational purposes only. Actual starting salaries may vary depending on geographic location and applicant qualifications. Read the vacancy announcement carefully for more specific salary information.

Learn more about working for Social Security and how to apply for a position with us.

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Benefit Authorizer (Legal Administrative Specialist)

As a benefit authorizer, you will work with the public via phone or mail regarding benefit and payment amounts for various Social Security programs.

Benefit authorizers work in each of our six program service centers throughout the country, and at our Headquarters location in Baltimore, Maryland.

A 6 to 8 month classroom training program will prepare you for the duties of a benefit authorizer. Further career development may lead you to the technical expert or specialist positions or to the claims technician examiner position.

Service Representative/Telephone Service Representative (Contact Representatives)

Service representatives provide assistance to the public by answering a wide variety of questions by interviewing the individual, investigating the situation and resolving the problem.

Service representatives work in each of our 1,300 field offices nationwide and have face-to-face contact with the public. Telephone service representatives work in each of our 37 Teleservice Centers nationwide. The Customer Service Technician works in our Headquarters location in Baltimore, MD, offices located in Wilkes Barre, PA. Both the Telephone service representative and the Customer service technician and have phone contact or internet correspondence with the public.

The length of the training course for these positions is 8 or 9 weeks. Career advancement from these positions can be to a benefit technician examiner, claims technician examiner, claims representative position or to another position in the Teleservice Center.