|
|
Post by Legal Beagle on Jun 2, 2009 15:19:27 GMT -5
From the Federal Times:
Social Security Administration Commissioner Michael Astrue is overseeing one of the largest federal hiring efforts currently under way. He wants to bring in about 6,500 new employees by fall to reduce claims backlogs and address other needs. In an interview with Federal Times last week, he emphasized the importance of diversity in hiring and the challenges of training a workforce with so many new employees. ...
Following are excerpts of the interview:
Q: What about administrative law judges to adjudicate decisions on the nearly three-quarters of a million in disability claims backlogged?
Astrue: We are, this week, hiring 157 new administrative law judges, and the budget for next year calls for hiring another 208. We lose about 60 to 65 a year. [Currently, 1,150 are on board.] That means we’re also opening up a lot of new hearing offices; so we have 17 new hearing offices [for a total of 157] ... and two new national hearing centers [for a total of four]....
Q: How have you approached working with the unions?
Astrue: You try to talk directly, develop relationships. Sometimes that’s worked well; sometimes that worked well for a while, and then did not work very well … In general, if you commit yourself and this is true on both sides of the table, to talking regularly, candidly and professionally, people find common ground. There’ve been some instances where, once we’ve talked about things or where things were raised for us, they’ve expected to have opposition, and we weren’t opposed. But if you don’t talk on a regular basis, you miss some of those opportunities.
socialsecuritynews@topica.com
|
|
|
|
Post by Legal Beagle on Jun 2, 2009 15:20:54 GMT -5
"We are, this week, hiring 157 new administrative law judges, and the budget for next year calls for hiring another 208."
This, to me, means there will be 157 calls "this week" - not a second wave at the end of June for the second class.
|
|
|
|
Post by Propmaster on Jun 2, 2009 15:28:11 GMT -5
"We are, this week, hiring 157 new administrative law judges, and the budget for next year calls for hiring another 208." This, to me, means there will be 157 calls "this week" - not a second wave at the end of June for the second class. Agreed. And I think it means the estimated nine calls last week are added to the 148 more this week. |
|
|
|
Post by aaa on Jun 2, 2009 15:31:24 GMT -5
FWIW, I agree. I think all the calls will happen this week. That was what happened last year - all offers were made then the start dates were staggered. It would seem like that would make the most sense also. Making an arbitrary decision that 78 people contacted could all have a drop dead start date of June 22, 20 days from now would be putting too many eggs in one basket. Much easier and make more business sense to do it all now. Plus if it wasn't all done now then there would be many questions and calls to field on when will the next round of calls come - seems to me that would take a lot of staff time. Makes sense to me that some folks contacted for a July start date might request a June start date to get kids acclimated to a new school district as early as possible or maybe a vacation that is already paid for, etc. I would think there have been a lot of work hours expended on this and OCALJ is ready to get past this to work on whatever the remaining projects are. We're gearing up for the last quarter of the FY and the next few months hold many things to get accomplished.
|
|
|
|
Post by roggenbier on Jun 2, 2009 15:31:52 GMT -5
157--Now  ?? 50--9/09 208--10/09-10/10 ? |
|
|
|
Post by ruonthelist on Jun 2, 2009 15:32:37 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by aaa on Jun 2, 2009 15:33:23 GMT -5
157--Now ?? 50--9/09 208--10/09-10/10 ? That's what I get out of what I've heard. |
|
|
|
Post by barkley on Jun 2, 2009 15:55:39 GMT -5
FWIW, I agree. I think all the calls will happen this week. That was what happened last year - all offers were made then the start dates were staggered. It would seem like that would make the most sense also. Making an arbitrary decision that 78 people contacted could all have a drop dead start date of June 22, 20 days from now would be putting too many eggs in one basket. Much easier and make more business sense to do it all now. Plus if it wasn't all done now then there would be many questions and calls to field on when will the next round of calls come - seems to me that would take a lot of staff time. Makes sense to me that some folks contacted for a July start date might request a June start date to get kids acclimated to a new school district as early as possible or maybe a vacation that is already paid for, etc. I would think there have been a lot of work hours expended on this and OCALJ is ready to get past this to work on whatever the remaining projects are. We're gearing up for the last quarter of the FY and the next few months hold many things to get accomplished. I think everyone will be contacted this week. But I would expect that quite a bit of thought would go into at least broadly mixing the ratio in the classes between former government employees and former private practitioners. It does seem odd, however, that no one has stated a July start date. Think they are completing the first group calls, then say tomorrow or Thursday starting the second group calls? |
|
|
|
Post by Propmaster on Jun 2, 2009 16:03:31 GMT -5
Unless the forum has been very lucky and represents more than 1/3 of the incoming ALJ class, it appears enough offers have gone out that they must have made some July calls. I think maybe people just haven't been listing them. Or else we're all awesome! Probably that.
|
|
|
|
Post by ed on Jun 2, 2009 16:26:28 GMT -5
My guess is that a lot of the folks have participated on the board this time. A look at the guests and visitors reflect a lot of board activity.
|
|
|
|
Post by ALJD on Jun 2, 2009 16:48:51 GMT -5
Unless the forum has been very lucky and represents more than 1/3 of the incoming ALJ class, it appears enough offers have gone out that they must have made some July calls. I think maybe people just haven't been listing them. Or else we're all awesome! Probably that. The latest pm I got reported a call time of approximately 5 pm EST, and it was for a June 22 reporting date. So I'm inclined to think the July calls have not been made yet. |
|
|
|
Post by Propmaster on Jun 2, 2009 16:51:30 GMT -5
Unless the forum has been very lucky and represents more than 1/3 of the incoming ALJ class, it appears enough offers have gone out that they must have made some July calls. I think maybe people just haven't been listing them. Or else we're all awesome! Probably that. The latest pm I got reported a call time of approximately 5 pm EST, and it was for a June 22 reporting date. So I'm inclined to think the July calls have not been made yet. Well, then, congratulations on the board. Members of the board will almost make up half of the incoming class. No wonder ODAR reads the board. The indoctrination advice given on the board will be in their trainees heads before they get a chance to brainwash educate them. Hey, who changed that?  |
|
