Basic (03-86)

DI 39563.440 Staffing/Priority Controls

DDS management should be constantly alert to adjusting priorities, anticipating and addressing crisis situations and balancing staff needs to process workloads with available resources. The use of overtime, the hiring of temporary help, and moving staff or cases among units or establishing special units to process cases may be required. If sufficient resources are not immediately available, the DDS should negotiate with the appropriate parent agency and SSA regional office to obtain required assistance or adjustments to their workloads or priorities.

The regional office or parent agency also may advise the DDS that priorities have changed or that a workload emergency is imminent. The regional office can provide advice on how the DDS can take immediate action from within its own resources. The RO may also recommend assistance such as assigning Federal staff, assigning staff from other States in the region, and, in urgent situations, requesting inter-regional assistance.