Threats Balloon Against Social Security Administration Workers

Threats against Social Security Administration employees jumped dramatically last year — from 897 in fiscal year 2007 to 2,336 in 2010. A survey of 2,100 employees also found that 13 percent had been threatened in the past three years, The Washington Post reported.

In addition, there were 50 reports of violent threats against Social Security administrative law judges and offices in the last six-month reporting period, the Association of Administrative Law Judges told the Post. The threats include phone messages and those received in the mail. One woman, who lost a case, left a message that included the line, “we have a date with death and we won't be late.” The woman was arrested.

"The numbers are increasing, and the threats are very serious," Administrative Law Judges’ President Randall Frye told the Post. "I've been in government 37 years, and I have never seen the anger from the public, generally, that I see now."

The report comes in the wake of the Tucson shooting that severely wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and 13 others and killed six, including a federal judge. "The Social Security Administration takes the security of its employees and the public very seriously. Our security measures provide a high level of safety for our offices,” according to a statement provided to the Post.