WASHINGTON – Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency’s federal government cuts have hit Birmingham’s Social Security Center.
The Social Security Administration said about five Birmingham employees were placed on administrative leave Tuesday due to the agency getting rid of the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity.
“Our focus is supporting President Trump’s priorities, which include streamlining functions and prioritizing essential work,” Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, said in a press release. “Terminating the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity, and reassigning statutory responsibilities performed by this office, advances the President’s goal to make all of government more efficient in serving the American public.”
The SSA said a total of about 140 employees were placed on administrative leave because of the closure.
Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, initially posted on X that more than 100 employees who work at the Birmingham office were “unjustly terminated” before clarifying that the terminations impacted multiple states.
“Elon Musk’s reckless power trip is directly threatening the livelihoods of my constituents,” Sewell said.
The Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity was responsible for the agency’s equal employment opportunity and civil rights programs, including “planning, implementing and directing programs designed to ensure equal opportunity in employment for all employees regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability…”, according to the SSA website.
The SSA said it would transfer the responsibilities of the office to other departments to ensure compliance.