Social Security Administration

SSA provides SSI and SSD benefits to limited English proficiently (LEP) individuals. The commitment to ensure meaningful access is described in the resources below.

Social Security Administration LEP Policy                               

The SSA policy is “to ensure access to the programs we administer to all of the American public by clarifying and distributing our LEP policy and procedures to make public contact employees and the public aware of our service delivery guidelines.”

The SSA Plan for Providing Access to Benefits and Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) describes how meaningful access is required for LEP individuals. The four factors SSA considers when determining what constitutes reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to LEP individuals are the:

• number or proportion of LEP persons in the eligible service population;
• frequency with which LEP individuals come into contact with the program;
• importance of the service provided by the program; and
• resources available to the recipient.

Pursuant to this policy “Social Security will provide an interpreter free of charge, to any individual requesting language assistance or, when it is evident that such assistance is necessary to ensure that the individual is not disadvantaged,” and will not require individuals needing language assistance to provide their own interpreters.

Social Security Resources                                                             

• SSA LEP Policies for the District Office (PDF)
• LEP Policies at a Social Security Hearing (PDF)
• SSA LEP Policy (Word)
• Social Security Online Multilanguage Gateway
• SSA Interpreters for Spanish speakers
• SSA Language Access Poster
• NY SSI Manual in Spanish

Last Updated: September 21, 2009 ● Empire Justice Center © 2008