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If youve talked to any senior citizens lately, theres a good chance theyve brought up their concerns about looming changes to the anti-fraud policies of the Social Security Administration (SSA). Many seniors are worried that the changes may mean that they will stop receiving their Social Security payments, or that there could be a delay in receiving them. The messaging around Social Security’s anti-fraud changes has been a bit confusing, not to mention constantly evolving. Heres what you need to know about the latest information available. Whats happened? As Fast Company reported last month, the Trump administration is implementing changes to the SSA’s anti-fraud policies. At the time, it was stated that from March 31, any individuals who began a Social Security benefits claim would be required to travel to a Social Security Administration office to verify their identity in person. This raised grave concerns from lawmakers and senior citizen rights groups since some seniors either have mobility issues, which make it hard to travel, or they live in rural areas, meaning they would need to travel great distances just to verify their identity. After significant public blowback to the requirement, the Trump administration backtracked. In a March 26 statement, the Social Security Administration said it was exempting individuals applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) who cannot use a personal my Social Security account from the in-person requirement, allowing them to complete their claim over the phone. But some other individuals would still need to appear in person at an office to verify their identity, including those who need to change their direct deposit information for any benefit if they could not use the online “my Social Security” portal. However, the SSA moved the date back two weeks, from March 31 to April 14. The rules have changedagain Yet now the SSA has announced further changes, likely due to continued concerns from lawmakers and the public. While the April 14 datenext Mondaystill holds, not everyone who was originally required to appear in person will now have to, reports NPR. Individuals will now still be able to apply for certain changes over the phone. However, if those individuals are flagged for anti-fraud checks, they will then need to appear in person at a SSA office. According to an unnamed White House official who spoke with NPR, the change was made because the SSA anti-fraud team implemented new technological capabilities so quickly. What the new changes mean For now, the bottom line appears to be a less strict stance: From April 14, most people will still be able to manage their Social Security accounts online and on the phone. However, you may still be flagged with a fraud alert. If that happens, you will then need to appear in person at an SSA office. As the SSA posted on its official X account on April 8: Beginning on April 14, #SocialSecurity will perform an anti-fraud check on all claims filed over the telephone and flag claims that have fraud risk indicators. In a follow-up post, the agency said that Individuals that are flagged would be required to perform in-person ID proofing for the claim to be further processed, adding that Individuals who are not flagged will be able to complete their claim without any in-person requirements. Addressing the administrations reversal of its policy, Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, told NPR that the change was “a victory for Social Security beneficiaries across the country. He went on to say, “The Trump administration did not change the policy out of the goodness of their hearts. They responded to public pressure. The reversal will be welcome to the millions of American senior citizens who rely on their Social Security payments to pay the bills. But its understandable that the chaotic nature and messaging surrounding the changes have caused so much alarm.
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Many companies are acutely aware that a notable portion of their workers are struggling with burnout. The data makes that much clear: A Mercer report from last year found that 82% of workers said they were at risk of burnout. In another study conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Ipsos, over half of the workers surveyed said they had experienced burnout because of their job in 2023. Even so, it seems that employers may be underestimating just how widespread burnout really is among the workforce. A new report by the online marketplace Care.com indicates that while the vast majority of companies surveyed84%know that burnout can noticeably impact retention, they dont fully understand the scope of the issue. While employers believed only about 45% of their workers were at risk of burnout, 69% of employees said they were at moderate to high risk of burnout. The Care.com report, which polled 600 human resources executives and 1,000 rank-and-file employees, points to caregiving responsibilities as a driving factor behind burnout. Of the respondents who pay for family care, most of them say caregiving puts them at higher risk of burnout, and that their stress in the workplace is amplified by the burden of managing work expectations alongside caregiving. For many working parents, particularly those in their forties, caregiving responsibilities can take the form of both eldercare and childcare. What helps with burnout What does seem to help, at least according to Care.coms findings, are workplace benefits that help support caregiversan offering that has become increasingly common at companies that have invested in more niche employee benefits. Mental health resources have become some of the most popular benefits, along with fertility and family-building support. A number of companies also provide caregiver support in the form of subsidies or backup care coverage, which can help families manage gaps in childcare and offset the exorbitant cost of care. Despite the popularity of these employee benefit, companies don’t always see high rates of utilization across the board. But according to the Care.com report, when employers provide benefits tailored to caregivers, there can be a clear correlation with retention and stronger performance. The benefits that employees want About one in five employees said that they have quit jobs over a lack of caregiver benefitsor that they would leave for a role that offers those benefits. Among employees who have access to those benefits, 45% say that their productivity increased while 40% report lower rates of absenteeism. The emotional impact, too, can be significant: Over half of employees said caregiver benefits boosted their quality of life, improved their work-life balance, and reduced stress levels. According to the report, it seems that employees and employers alike are largely aligned on the expectation that companies can and should help families manage the cost of caregiving. What’s not always clear is the form that assistance should take. Narrow benefits like on-site childcare may not be the right solution for all parents, or companies may find that many of their employees are actually looking for help with eldercarewhich is why it’s important that employers actually take the time to understand what their workforce really needs.
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E-Commerce
Jared Isaacman, billionaire, CEO and nominee to become the next NASA administrator, faced questions on April 9, 2025, from members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation during his confirmation hearing for the position. Should the Senate confirm him, Isaacman will be the first billionairebut not the first astronautto head NASA. Perhaps even more significant, he will be the first NASA administrator with significant ties to the commercial space industry. As a space policy expert, I know that NASA leadership matters. The head of the agency can significantly shape the missions it pursues, the science it undertakes and, ultimately, the outcome of Americas space exploration. An unconventional background At 16 years old, Isaacman dropped out of high school to start a payment processing company in his basement. The endeavor succeeded and eventually became known as Shift4. Though he found early success in business, Isaacman also had a love for aviation. In 2009, he set a record for flying around the Earth in a light jet, beating the previous record by more than 20 hours. While remaining CEO of Shift4, Isaacman founded another company, Draken International. The company eventually assembled the worlds largest fleet of privately owned fighter jets. It now helps to train U.S. Air Force pilots. In 2019, Isaacman sold his stake in Draken International. In 2020, he took Shift4 public, making him a billionaire. Isaacman continued to branch out into aerospace, working with SpaceX beginning in 2021. He purchased a crewed flight on the Falcon 9 rocket, a mission that eventually was called Inspiration4. The mission, which he led, represented the first private astronaut flight for SpaceX. It sent four civilians with no previous formal space experience into orbit. Following the success of Inspiration4, Isaacman worked with SpaceX to develop the Polaris Program, a series of three missions to help build SpaceXs human spaceflight capabilities. In fall 2024, the first of these missions, Polaris Dawn, launched. Polaris Dawn added more accomplishments to Isaacmans resume. Isaacman, along with his crewmate Sarah Gillis, completed the first private spacewalk. Polaris Dawns SpaceX Dragon capsule traveled more than 850 miles (1,367 kilometers) from Earth, the farthest distance humans had been since the Apollo missions. The next adventure: NASA In December 2024, the incoming Trump administration announced its intention to nominate Isaacman for the post of NASA administrator. As NASA administrator, Isaacman would oversee all NASA activities at a critical moment in its history. The Artemis program, which has been in progress since 2017, has several missions planned for the next few years. This includes 2026s Artemis II mission, which will send four astronauts to orbit the Moon. Then, in 2027, Artemis III will aim to land on it. But, if Isaacman is confirmed, his tenure would come at a time when there are significant questions about the Artemis program, as well as the extent to which NASA should use commercial space companies like SpaceX. The agency is also potentially facing funding cuts. Some in the space industry have proposed scrapping the Artemis program altogether in favor of preparing to go to Mars. Among this group is the founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk. Others have suggested canceling NASAs Space Launch System, the massive rocket that is being used for Artemis. Instead, they argue that NASA could use commercial systems, like SpaceXs Starship or Blue Origins New Glenn. Isaacman has also dealt with accusations that he is too close to the commercial space industry, and SpaceX in particular, to lead NASA. This has become a larger concern given Musks involvement in the Trump administration and its cost-cutting efforts. Some critics are worried that Musk would have an even greater say in NASA if Isaacman is confirmed. Since his nomination, Isaacman has stopped working with SpaceX on the Polaris Program. He has also made several supportive comments toward other commercial companies. But the success of any of NASAs plans depends on having the money and resources necessary to carry them out. While NASA has been spared major cuts u to this point, it, like many other government agencies, is planning for budget cuts and mass firings. These potential cuts are similar to what other agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services have recently made. During his confirmation hearing, Isaacman committed to keeping the Artemis program, as well as the Space Launch System, in the short term. He also insisted that NASA could both return to the Moon and prepare for Mars at the same time. Although Isaacman stated that he believed NASA had the resources to do both at the same time, the agency is still in a time of budget uncertainty, so that may not be possible. About his relationship with Musk, Isaacman stated that he had not talked to Musk since his nomination in November, and his relationship with SpaceX would not influence his decisions. Additionally, he committed to carrying out space science missions, specifically to launch more telescopes, more probes, more rovers. But since NASA is preparing for significant cuts to its science budget, there is some speculation that the agency may need to end some science programs, like the Hubble space telescope, altogether. Isaacmans future Isaacman has received support from the larger space community. Nearly 30 astronauts signed a letter in support of his nomination. Former NASA administrators, as well as major industry groups, have signaled their desire for Isaacmans confirmation. He also received the support of Senator Ted Cruz, the committee chair. Barring any major development, Isaacman will likely be confirmed as NASA administrator by the Senate in the coming weeks. The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation could approve his nomination once it returns from a two-week break at the end of April. A full vote from the Senate would follow. If the Senate does confirm him, Isaacman will have several major issues to confront at NASA, all in a very uncertain political environment. Wendy Whitman Cobb is a professor of strategy and security studies at Air University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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