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Post by JudgeRatty on Jun 24, 2013 11:09:34 GMT -5
To hod, I have seen some of those older typewritten decisions in the CDR cases! I cannot imagine having to dictate and then correct those, ugh! SO glad we have the system we have now. And happy I transitioned from rep to ODAR just as the FIT format was put in place. I am grateful for that! And now, using the electronic bench book...that is another nice tool. And to mcb, when I was a rep I felt SO bad for those folks that had to go through the remand process to finally get their benefits. The AC was bad enough but add in a Court remand...it took years. And then, if they had an SSI case, the calculation for the back award was horrible since they calculate that on a month by month basis. What a mess!
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Post by mcb on Jun 24, 2013 11:26:55 GMT -5
when I was a rep I felt SO bad for those folks that had to go through the remand process to finally get their benefits. The AC was bad enough but add in a Court remand...it took years. I was a rep before becoming an ALJ in 2010.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Jun 24, 2013 12:33:41 GMT -5
It sounds like the ALJs on this board have quite a varied work background, some with rep experience, some SSA experience, some both. And then there are those with no prior rep or SSA experience. I think some have medical backgrounds as well. I wonder where things like having a combination background with rep and/or SSA experience (which should be helpful) and/or medical training of some sort (which should also be helpful) fit into the mix? I suppose a higher score on an essay if that were brought forth? Or a higher score on the SI? Bascially, where does the overall "resume" of the individual fit into the process?
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Post by Administrator ALJ on Jun 24, 2013 15:08:21 GMT -5
It sounds like the ALJs on this board have quite a varied work background, some with rep experience, some SSA experience, some both. And then there are those with no prior rep or SSA experience. I think some have medical backgrounds as well. I wonder where things like having a combination background with rep and/or SSA experience (which should be helpful) and/or medical training of some sort (which should also be helpful) fit into the mix? I suppose a higher score on an essay if that were brought forth? Or a higher score on the SI? Bascially, where does the overall "resume" of the individual fit into the process? I have a great deal of medical/clinical experience and would hope that such would be factored into the assessment where appropriate. I disagreeumption is that it will be factored in, most likely at the SI phase. I don't think the job announcement specifically dealt with medical backgrounds.
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Post by onepingonly on Jun 24, 2013 15:26:36 GMT -5
Medical/clinical experience would not be factored in at the OPM stage. OPM's mandate is to certify a list of candidates qualified to serve as an ALJ in ANY agency, not just SSA. The NTSB or Nuclear Regulatory Commission, for example, draw on other areas of expertise. It's my sense that SSA is happy if you have some prior familiarity with reading medical records, but it's not a prerequisite.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Jun 24, 2013 16:21:39 GMT -5
Ah, that makes total sense onepingonly. In fact, everything I just cited to as far as SSA experience, rep experience, and medical would not matter at this phase then....only after the cert and when SSA is involved. Thanks!
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Post by Administrator ALJ on Jun 24, 2013 18:22:51 GMT -5
Medical/clinical experience would not be factored in at the OPM stage. OPM's mandate is to certify a list of candidates qualified to serve as an ALJ in ANY agency, not just SSA. The NTSB or Nuclear Regulatory Commission, for example, draw on other areas of expertise. It's my sense that SSA is happy if you have some prior familiarity with reading medical records, but it's not a prerequisite. From reading several of the posts on this thread, it's been my impression that OPM has weighed SSA's needs for ALJs more heavily than say the NTSB or the NRC since SSA is the lead hirer hands down. That's why it really wouldn't surprise me if the SI included questions relating to administrative law practice, medical experience, disability/appeals work. At the very least, I'm sure the agency asks such questions in any interviews it conducts.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Jun 24, 2013 18:30:51 GMT -5
NRG ALJ that is encouraging for those with a combination of experience inside, outside, and medical!
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Post by bartleby on Jun 24, 2013 18:40:26 GMT -5
None of the OPM questions on the SI or written examination included anything to do with SSA in the past. IIRC very little or nothing on the SSA panel interview asked anything relating to SSA procedures, disability work, or medical experience.
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Post by valkyrie on Jun 24, 2013 18:52:34 GMT -5
1st, anything from OPM is going to be generalized in terms of practice/legal experience, so don't expect anything specifically geared toward SSA on the SI. 2nd, I sure hate to think I'm giving the impression that I don't like being an ALJ. Its probably the most enjoyable job I have done since waiting tables because of the human interaction. When I say it is a dead and boring area of law, I literally mean the law itself. SSA practice involves minimal legal argument/research/procedural maneuvering, etc. However, the job remains very rewarding from a service standpoint.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Jun 24, 2013 19:11:42 GMT -5
Oh well, at least that will count if we get to the SSA interview. I realize everyone is bound by confidentiality but it is good to at least know this much about the SI. Thanks Valkyrie & Bartleby! I am sure there are occasions in which you get something new and interesting Valkyrie. And I bet the benefits of the position far outweigh the negative aspects. I still love the fact that when it is time to clock out, work doesn't follow me home from ODAR. No travel, very few calls, and the ability to plan a life rank right up there!
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Post by bartleby on Jun 24, 2013 20:39:37 GMT -5
Yeah, we get something new and interesting. I am working at home today. At 4:00 my support staff person sent me an e-mail telling me that the Representative for my 2:00 PM hearing tomorrow just dropped 465 pages of medical evidence into the record. That will be nice to see tomorrow morning. Oh, I must remember to speak to the Rep about doing a brief for me on this case since he/she hasn't so far. Yeah, it's always something. It is a great job and I love it, but, oooohhhhhhhhhh, sometimes. Thank God, I have my kitties to relax me!!!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 21:05:08 GMT -5
It's my understanding that OPM went forward with this test without conferring with SSA. It seems the feud is still going on.
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Post by christina on Jun 24, 2013 21:11:45 GMT -5
oh Bartleby, the dreaded Rep dumps records at the last minute. My sympathies :/ I have definitely heard well founded complaints on that topic before. Glad the kitties were there to help
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Post by chinook on Jun 25, 2013 8:16:19 GMT -5
It's my understanding that OPM went forward with this test without conferring with SSA. It seems the feud is still going on. SSA judges participated in the process of creating the questions used in the exam. There were SSA judges in the groups in which I participated. I am not sure what you mean by "went forward without conferring with SSA."
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Post by jafo on Jun 25, 2013 8:20:38 GMT -5
It's my understanding that OPM went forward with this test without conferring with SSA. It seems the feud is still going on. SSA judges participated in the process of creating the questions used in the exam. There were SSA judges in the groups in which I participated. I am not sure what you mean by "went forward without conferring with SSA." It's nice to see a posting that doesn't reference a "friend of a friend", voices in the hallways or other hearsay sources. Thank you.
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Post by moopigsdad on Jun 25, 2013 8:36:45 GMT -5
Yeah, we get something new and interesting. I am working at home today. At 4:00 my support staff person sent me an e-mail telling me that the Representative for my 2:00 PM hearing tomorrow just dropped 465 pages of medical evidence into the record. That will be nice to see tomorrow morning. Oh, I must remember to speak to the Rep about doing a brief for me on this case since he/she hasn't so far. Yeah, it's always something. It is a great job and I love it, but, oooohhhhhhhhhh, sometimes. Thank God, I have my kitties to relax me!!! Sorry to hear of this dilemma Bartleby. It a good thing you have the kitties to pet and calm you. There is no excuse to take until the day before a hearing (or day of the hearing) to produce such large amounts of medical records. It is just sloppy or negligent lawyering. As someone who has been involved in social security law for close to 30 years, I have never turned in more than a couple of pages in the last week prior to the hearing, just to update the file. Give the kitties a pat for me.
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Post by funkyodar on Jun 25, 2013 8:58:06 GMT -5
It's my understanding that OPM went forward with this test without conferring with SSA. It seems the feud is still going on. SSA judges participated in the process of creating the questions used in the exam. There were SSA judges in the groups in which I participated. I am not sure what you mean by "went forward without conferring with SSA." I had heard the new testing was a result of SSA ALJ collaboration. Thanks for the confirmation. Also, and I am almost sure I read this somewhere on this board, I was under the impression OPM didnt really want to reopen and do any new testing. Wasn't there some fight before congress or a congressional committee where SSA was saying they wanted a new register and new testing and OPM was fighting it saying there were plenty on the existing register? or something like that?
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Post by Ace Midnight on Jun 25, 2013 9:25:45 GMT -5
I think the problem they ran into was the pent up demand for new applicants. There was only so long they were going to be able to hold that off, regardless of the difference of opinion between SSA and OPM about the residual value of the current register.
Now, they could have reopened, using the old test, the old system and had an easier go of it. The fact they didn't do that suggests this has been in the works for some period of time. I give them some amount of credit for rolling out a relatively new process in this environment. Since I never went through the previous process (2007-2009), I can't really compare it to anything. However, I have no complaints, thus far, about how my application has been handled.
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Post by bartleby on Jun 25, 2013 10:10:23 GMT -5
obama mandated the new process government wide a year or two ago...
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