|
Post by bartleby on Feb 14, 2013 14:56:58 GMT -5
Two of my classmates just got transfers to other Agencies, so movement is afoot.. Say what, Holmes??
|
|
|
Post by philliesfan on Feb 14, 2013 18:09:41 GMT -5
There is currently a vacancy in South Jersey and one person on the transfer list and one in St. Louis Downtown because of a retirement.
|
|
|
Post by deltajudge on Feb 14, 2013 19:07:42 GMT -5
8-)Just a suggestion to those who are worried about the selection of locations, anywhere in Mississippi would be great for numerous reasons, including cost of living and housing. Memphis, if you don't live right in it, Nashville, Chattanooga and Franklin. Alabama and Louisiana ain't that bad, along with Texas.
|
|
|
Post by westernalj on Feb 15, 2013 17:45:28 GMT -5
Once you get past the learning curve, what are the hours like? Is it truly a 40 hour a week job?
|
|
|
Post by privateatty on Feb 15, 2013 18:40:08 GMT -5
Once you get past the learning curve, what are the hours like? Is it truly a 40 hour a week job? Its always 40 hrs--at least over here. While I don't work at SSA, I have not heard differently.
|
|
|
Post by bartleby on Feb 15, 2013 23:13:48 GMT -5
At SSA it is more like 50 hours a week.
|
|
|
Post by westernalj on Feb 16, 2013 8:51:28 GMT -5
For seniority for transfers, is it federal service years? Or just ALJ years? If it's federal service, any idea how many ALJs have prior federal service?
|
|
|
Post by deltajudge on Feb 16, 2013 10:20:23 GMT -5
8-)Well I guess seniority is relative. When I was an ALJ several years ago, we moved into new quarters. The choice offices had a view of the river and mountains, and the others a view of downtown. I was the senior ALJ in the office as to time in service, but not in the office. I mistakenly thought I would have first pick. The HOCALJ, who didn't like me for some reason I never understood, brought it to a vote as to time in service or time in the office. The other ALJs, all my friends voted for time in service. Sure that cemented the HOCALJ"s dislike for me. He was fired by the RCALJ not long after for other indiscretions.
|
|
|
Post by bartleby on Feb 16, 2013 11:31:23 GMT -5
For transfers, it is by the date you get on the list, unless two of you have the same date of request and then it goes by federal services years.
|
|
|
Post by westernalj on Feb 16, 2013 11:36:42 GMT -5
How far back do you have to go on your resume? I have been working since I was 16 and had a pre-law school career. Also, any benefit to using your own resume or the usajobs resume?
|
|
|
Post by philliesfan on Feb 16, 2013 14:21:23 GMT -5
How may hours you spend on the job per week depends on you, how you do the job, and to some exetnet the demographics of office you are in.
|
|
|
Post by deltajudge on Feb 17, 2013 18:38:20 GMT -5
8-)In my 30 years with OHA, I came into contact with some doozies who had the mantle of ALJ draped on their shoulders. The worst was a bi-polar ALJ who showed up at the office with whatever personality he considered appropriate for that day. Impossible to deal with, total embarrassment. Was finally forced to resign because of sexual harassment and other reasons. I told the investigating panel, they should investigate those that interviewed him and approved him. There were many others.
|
|
|
Post by mcb on Feb 18, 2013 2:05:05 GMT -5
Once you get past the learning curve, what are the hours like? Is it truly a 40 hour a week job? I've never averaged over 40 hours a week. Others, in other offices, may average over 40 and end up "donating" hours to the agency, but those I have worked with do not.
|
|
|
Post by costco on Feb 18, 2013 3:53:38 GMT -5
For transfers, it is by the date you get on the list, unless two of you have the same date of request and then it goes by federal services years. As I recall, for transfers, it is (1) by the date you get on the transfer list. If the same day, the first tiebreaker is (2) the date you first became an ALJ (with SSA). And, if also the same day, the second tiebreaker is (3) years of federal service.
|
|
|
Post by privateatty on Feb 18, 2013 6:15:18 GMT -5
How far back do you have to go on your resume? I have been working since I was 16 and had a pre-law school career. Also, any benefit to using your own resume or the usajobs resume? I used the USAJobs Resume. I gave them what they asked for in the language used by OPM. I would think that given the size of this undertaking by OPM, that which is not requested will fall by the wayside--but I could be wrong.
|
|
|
Post by Orly on Feb 18, 2013 10:18:31 GMT -5
Once you get past the learning curve, what are the hours like? Is it truly a 40 hour a week job? It all depends on how efficiently you process your cases and how decisive you are. If you're a slow reader and struggle at making a final decision, 40 hours probably isn't enough. If you are good at this job, 40 hours a week is sufficient to meet the OCALJ's annual disposition goal of over 500 while maintaining a reasonable level of quality.
|
|
|
Post by jonmom on Feb 18, 2013 11:13:24 GMT -5
Once you get past the learning curve, what are the hours like? Is it truly a 40 hour a week job? It all depends on how efficiently you process your cases and how decisive you are. If you're a slow reader and struggle at making a final decision, 40 hours probably isn't enough. If you are good at this job, 40 hours a week is sufficient to meet the OCALJ's annual disposition goal of over 500 while maintaining a reasonable level of quality. I agree with Orly that 40 hours should be enough. However, if you are concerned about being able to do the job in 40 hours a week, I recommend to use the learning curve to your advantage, that is, trying to come up with ways to spend less time reviewing cases, holding the hearings, writing instructions, and editing. All of that takes an awful lot of time, especially when we are on the first months of our learning curve, and the goal should be to decrease the amount of time invested on each of them while still not required to have a full docket. It has worked for me beautifully.
|
|
|
Post by philliesfan on Feb 18, 2013 12:02:17 GMT -5
Orly is right. The only times that I have spent more than 40 hours in any week, so far, is when my hearings run late. I hold mine in the afternoons. This permits me to review that day's files in the morning, which means I only have to review them once. Usually, by the morning of the hearing, the record has been updated by the rep, although occasionally evidence will come into the e-file between the time I have reviewed the file and the time of the hearing. This also cuts down on the number of CEs I request.
Other factors that affect the amount of time you spend in the office relate to how long your hearings run. I know of ALJs who hold 2 hour hearings, routinely, but most run less than 1 hour. Also how long are your decision writing instructions? When I was a Senior Attorney, I would see ALJ instructions that ran to 10 pages. I believe less is more. I do not endorse smiley faces, but you should, in most cases, be able to generate adequate FIT instructions in 2 pages or less. In addition, when reviewing draft decisions, if you let style get in the way of substance, you will spend a lot of time revising drafts that really isn't necessary.
|
|
|
Post by Orly on Feb 18, 2013 12:54:21 GMT -5
Other factors that affect the amount of time you spend in the office relate to how long your hearings run. I know of ALJs who hold 2 hour hearings, routinely, but most run less than 1 hour. Also how long are your decision writing instructions? When I was a Senior Attorney, I would see ALJ instructions that ran to 10 pages. I believe less is more. I do not endorse smiley faces, but you should, in most cases, be able to generate adequate FIT instructions in 2 pages or less. In addition, when reviewing draft decisions, if you let style get in the way of substance, you will spend a lot of time revising drafts that really isn't necessary. Hear hear. All excellent points by philliesfan. Especially on hearing length. Hearing length is key to keep case processing manageable. An average hearing should be between 30-45 minutes with VE testimony. On rare occasions, a complex cases may take a little longer. However, if a normal hearing for you is 1-2 hours, 40 hours a week is definitely not enough if you want to hit 500+ for the year.
|
|
|
Post by costco on Feb 18, 2013 14:40:55 GMT -5
I’m a recent ALJ. My hearings are set one-hour apart. I hold the hearings in 35 to 45 minutes and spent 10 to 15 minutes writing my instructions. At the end of the day, my hearings and instructions are finished. So, at this point, I’m averaging 40 hours but there is very little time for chit-chat or anything else. Also, I’m still learning. I’m always looking for (legitimate) short-cuts and ways to do things faster.
If you ask 1,500 ALJs how to do something, then you'll get 1,500 different ways of doing something.
|
|