The Mount Airy Social Security office will be reducing the hours it is open to the public.

Beginning Nov. 19, the office will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Beginning Jan. 2, the office will start closing to the public at noon each Wednesday. The early closings, according to Social Security officials, are a response the the federal government’s plan to cut funding to many agencies.

“While agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter public window will allow them to complete face-to-face interviews and process claims work without incurring the cost of overtime,” the agency said. “The significantly reduced funding provided by Congress under the continuing resolution for the first six months of the fiscal year makes it impossible for the agency to provide the overtime needed to handle service to the public as it has done in the past.”

In addition, on Nov. 23, the day after Thanksgiving, all Social Security field offices will be closed to the public so that employees can spend that day catching up on backlogged work.

“Most Social Security services do not require a visit to a local office,” the administration said in the statement. “Many services, including applying for retirement, disability or Medicare benefits, signing up for direct deposit, replacing a Medicare card, obtaining a proof of income letter or informing us of a change of address or telephone number are conveniently available at www.socialsecurity.gov or by dialing our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213.

“People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. Many of our online services also are available in Spanish at www.segurosocial.gov.