Being an ALJ is a pretty good job!

[hamster]

I have been an ALJ for two years now. This is my second career and I am in my mid-50s. I was totally unfamiliar with disability law when I was hired, and I had no idea what "OASDI" meant on my Air Force pay stubs.

I read a lot of "doom and gloom" posts on this forum. You know, agency bureaucrats who aren't lawyers who pressure and micromanage the ALJs. Crushing production quotas. A new PD that shows the Acting Commissioner wants to turn all of us into mindless, robotic adjudicators. No contempt power. Venal claimant representatives. An oppressive work environment. I see such "the sky is falling" posts every day.

To those of you waiting to hear your NORs: This job is pretty good. I enjoy it, and most of the ALJs I know enjoy it, too. To be sure, it's no fun getting a records dump from a rep the night before the hearing. And, reviewing page after page of medical records is, not infrequently, rather tedious. It is also no fun when some claimants come to their hearings and lie through their teeth to you.

Yet, anecdotally, most offices seem to run in the OK to quite good range. I work with a lot of very nice support staff, writers, reps, and ALJs. The perks from this job are great--after a year, generally you'll be able to work at home eight days a month. You don't have to furnish your own office supplies. Health coverage is great. Hours are decent. I have no professional liability insurance. Nobody pages or calls you on the weekend, or after-hours. One can earn credit hours, which adds a lot of flexibility when it comes to leave and vacations. As far as I am concerned, the salary is just fine. I'll even be able to get a small pension when I retire in about 10 years. Finally, it's intellectually stimulating and enjoyable to hold hearings. I have met some really, really nice claimants and reps, and I feel I have made a positive contribution to the lives of the claimants who are disabled. It's great to serve the public, rather than some Big Corporation.

This job is not perfect. No job is. But it is pretty darn good. There are a lot of lawyers out there who hate their jobs, but I bet that most ALJs are pretty satisfied with theirs. Good luck in your efforts to get hired!

Best, Hamster

[JudgeRatty]

Jan 12, 2014 10:34:12 GMT -5 hamster said:

I have been an ALJ for two years now. This is my second career and I am in my mid-50s. I was totally unfamiliar with disability law when I was hired, and I had no idea what "OASDI" meant on my Air Force pay stubs.

I read a lot of "doom and gloom" posts on this forum. You know, agency bureaucrats who aren't lawyers who pressure and micromanage the ALJs. Crushing production quotas. A new PD that shows the Acting Commissioner wants to turn all of us into mindless, robotic adjudicators. No contempt power. Venal claimant representatives. An oppressive work environment. I see such "the sky is falling" posts every day.

To those of you waiting to hear your NORs: This job is pretty good. I enjoy it, and most of the ALJs I know enjoy it, too. To be sure, it's no fun getting a records dump from a rep the night before the hearing. And, reviewing page after page of medical records is, not infrequently, rather tedious. It is also no fun when some claimants come to their hearings and lie through their teeth to you.

Yet, anecdotally, most offices seem to run in the OK to quite good range. I work with a lot of very nice support staff, writers, reps, and ALJs. The perks from this job are great--after a year, generally you'll be able to work at home eight days a month. You don't have to furnish your own office supplies. Health coverage is great. Hours are decent. I have no professional liability insurance. Nobody pages or calls you on the weekend, or after-hours. One can earn credit hours, which adds a lot of flexibility when it comes to leave and vacations. As far as I am concerned, the salary is just fine. I'll even be able to get a small pension when I retire in about 10 years. Finally, it's intellectually stimulating and enjoyable to hold hearings. I have met some really, really nice claimants and reps, and I feel I have made a positive contribution to the lives of the claimants who are disabled. It's great to serve the public, rather than some Big Corporation.

This job is not perfect. No job is. But it is pretty darn good. There are a lot of lawyers out there who hate their jobs, but I bet that most ALJs are pretty satisfied with theirs. Good luck in your efforts to get hired!

Best, Hamster

Thanks Hamster! This is a refreshing positive post!!!!

[alj]

Hamster: Agreed. I have been on the job almost 10 times longer than you have, and I still enjoy it.

[Gaidin]

Wow! Thank you Hamster and alj. I have seen so much negativity on here lately. I appreciate that its not all wine and roses but its good to hear that its good to be an ALJ.

[funkyodar]

Thanks hamster. great post

[jmgjr]

Thanks Hampster. I have been a state ALJ for many years and am awaiting my NOR. Nice to hear your perspective that it's not all doom and gloom.

[alj]

Jan 12, 2014 12:24:33 GMT -5 Gaidin said:

Wow! Thank you Hamster and alj. I have seen so much negativity on here lately. I appreciate that its not all wine and roses but its good to hear that its good to be an ALJ.

It is called a "career appointment," which basically is a lifetime appointment.

I don't think you will be able to draw both military and civilian retirement. Others on the board are more knowledgeable than I am in this area, and will be able to definitively answer your question.

[workdrone]

Jan 12, 2014 12:17:37 GMT -5 @devildog said:

This is great to hear. Thanks for this. Can't wait to see how I did, and I hope to join you someday.

This is probably common knowledge, but is there a mandatory retirement age, or can you work until you keel over? And how will your pension mix with your military retirement?

Thanks,

For your questions:

No mandatory retirement age. I knew one ALJ who worked into his 80s and suddenly passed away one weekend while still on the job.

I know of another ALJ who retired from the Agency in his late 60s. He was a career Air Force JAG who joined the ALJ Corps after retiring from active duty. He's currently collecting both his military pension and the FERS retirement he accumulated during his ALJ tenure.

Lastly, I agree with Hamster that the job is still one of the best in the federal government. Despite the latest dust up about the PD change, my daily routine is still the same. I do my 500+ cases in a timely and legally sufficient manner and no one bother me. Compared to that HPI disaster back almost 15 years ago, today's issues, while annoying, don't affect my daily activities. So other than a somewhat bruised ego, the PD change hasn't hurt me one bit.

For you candidates, this Board is a marketplace of ideas. It shows you both sides of the spectrum. There are ALJs who are happy and content in their jobs, and there are those who are not. You'll probably find more of the later category here since happy people don't generally bother to post. (hamster being an exception)

As for how your experiences would be if you become an ALJ, your mileage may very. All I can tell you is keep an open mind, be diligent, be reasonable and judicious, and most of all, don't get infected by the dreaded "black robe fever."

All in all, I am very content and have no regrets going down this path, and I wish everyone the best of luck in this process.

[fredcdobbs]

You don't have to furnish your own office supplies.

What a great perk! No wonder I applied for this job!

[privateatty]

I have posted on this subject before. I was self employed and prior to that with a firm before I was appointed. I had literally given up being picked up by SSA after three pass overs.

However, I have been lucky in my life, on a lot of different levels and Lady Luck smiled upon me once more. It was easily (next to the birth of a child and matrimony) her most dazzling performance, one that held many surprises--all of them good.

The stark difference between this job and private practice was (and still is sometimes), profound. Like most federal ALJs I set my own calendar and thus my output. There is a large variety of matters before me within the confines of specialized law.

The first big wow was the freedom--the freedom to do the above and not worry about $ coming in. The freedom to set my own hours and vacations and not to be a slave to the whim and fancy of clients and court clerks. The freedom of forgetting the phone (wowzer), calendar conflicts, being with a child on his or her birthday, etc.

And then the other changes set in. I had to learn to look within, not without (sorry Mr. Harrison). Like my dear departed dog, I followed the lead of the master (client) and single-mindedly chewed the opposition's bones. Now, I had to retreat, weigh two or three sides and it has changed me, in ways that have tempered my perspective. Old arrogance and absolute surety of purpose that masked an anxiety of outcome seemed superfluous. Folks always want my opinion and collaberation flows in return. When I saw a case on appeal rise in the Art. III appellate system and come back with reference to me as the trier of fact it sobered me and yet I cannot deny the pride.

When an attorney comes before me and I know the file better than him or her I let them know. If I ask you if you know the difference between evidence and argument and you keep repeating your mistake I will explain it do you. I remember what it was like to be riduculed and scorned. I try to remember that I ultimately represent my Executive Branch and thus the President and that I have been hired to what I consider to be the best job in government. That being said I keep my identity to myself, only mentioning it when asked.

No one tells me what to do nor how to do it nor when to do it. I am told only that I must get it done correctly--and that starts with making informed decisions on a timely basis--even when you know that an ox will be gored. I used to think of myself as _____________, attorney at law. Now I am Federal Administrative Law Judge, _________. The Office is paramount, not me. That change, when and if it comes to one poster in particular, will be profound, if he is sensitive enough to feel it.

Lastly I must say again that I owe a lot of this to this Board and those who have (and still do) reside on these pages. I have been on this Board now going on seven years and have seen alot of folks come and go.

[bowser]

I agree, it is an excellent gig. Gotta acknowledge, tho, that it comes with all of the issues facing every aspect of federal service that I have encountered.

-If you are coming from a private law firm, you will be astounded at the attitude and ability of the least able staff in your office. Hopefully our management is doing what it takes to train/discipline those few, but not all mgmt seem to be up to the task. And, there have always been some percentage of ALJs who have either "just not gotten it" or just didn't care. For whatever reason it seems as tho a small number of poor staff, writers, ALJs, or mgrs seem to have a disproportionate impact...

-Also, ODAR has ALWAYS been INCREDIBLY numbers driven. That has not gotten less so as the numbers of applications have exploded recently.

-As in any federal workplace, a lot of management decisions seem to occur for no clear reason. Don't dream that everything is all clarity and light once you get through this inexplicable and (IMO) indefensible hiring gauntlet many of you are currently running. So don't accept an appointment somewhere you don't want to be, just assuming you will get transferred because it seems to make sense to you.

-And each judge has to figure out a way to keep his/her peace with the seemingly endless flow of "damaged" claimants appearing before them, and with some portion of representatives who are unhelpful. There is no "destination" and no way to get ahead. Once you wrap up today's hearings, the only thing ahead of you is tomorrow's...

Those are - in my strong opinion - simply facts. And they render the job far from perfect. But I don't know what job IS perfect. For me, ALJ is about as good of a job as I could imagine. And when it ceases being so, I intend to seek satisfaction elsewhere instead of imagining that I am going to reform this huge bureaucracy into my idea of what it ought to be.

If an ALJ wants to try to improve things, there are tons of HOCALJ vacancies regularly being filled. Many folk have found that position rewarding - and frustrating - for its own reasons.

Yep, ALJ is a great gig, but it is hard work, with often insufficient support. You can be quite happy for quite a long time if you keep your head down and do your best. But if you think it is something that it is not, you are bound to be disappointed - as well as to make things difficult for your staff, colleagues, and managers.

[Deleted]

"-And each judge has to figure out a way to keep his/her peace with the seemingly endless flow of "damaged" claimants appearing before them, and with some portion of representatives who are unhelpful. There is no "destination" and no way to get ahead. Once you wrap up today's hearings, the only thing ahead of you is tomorrow's... "

Good point, Bowser, on the effect of seeing a lot of unhealthy, frequently very sad, people on a daily basis. It can be a grind at times, but is still by far the best job I have ever had.

I try to remind myself, and others, that this job, and dealing with the endless stream of claimants, is a MARATHON, not a SPRINT. Pace yourself.

[leo68]

This is a refreshing post. I am an eternal optimist and "gloom and doom" posts mess with my mojo. It is nice to hear there is so much to look forward to as an ALJ. I am praying for favorable results soon!

[mcb]

Started my 4th year as an ALJ last September (coming from private practice). My experience pretty much echoes what the other ALJs above have already said. Best job I've ever had!

[71stretch]

Jan 13, 2014 10:27:24 GMT -5 robg said:

"-And each judge has to figure out a way to keep his/her peace with the seemingly endless flow of "damaged" claimants appearing before them, and with some portion of representatives who are unhelpful. There is no "destination" and no way to get ahead. Once you wrap up today's hearings, the only thing ahead of you is tomorrow's... "

Good point, Bowser, on the effect of seeing a lot of unhealthy, frequently very sad, people on a daily basis. It can be a grind at times, but is still by far the best job I have ever had.

I try to remind myself, and others, that this job, and dealing with the endless stream of claimants, is a MARATHON, not a SPRINT. Pace yourself.

As a state worker's comp ALJ for almost 20 years, I have made my peace with that long ago. Ready to look at those people with different legal standards in mind.

[jcse]

My experience as an SSA ALJ has been a disillusionment. I am hanging in for 2 more yrs. til my youngest graduates HS,
then I will step down. I would like to try private practice. I want my life back and I am tired of the numbers game. It is all that matters to SSA. If anyone wants to discuss specifics, pls IM me.

[lawdog98]

I've not posted in many months but I must concur with Hamster and Workdrone. This is a great job. I am quite lucky to have it. I cannot think of any job where there are not expectations of some type of production or competncy. I suppose I could ask my VE after lunch though...

As long as one keeps some emotional distance and remember that the claimant's problems are not your problems, you should be able to reduce the effects of hearing (occasionally) very sad stories every day.

Could things grow "worse" as some define it? Could we be micromanaged and questioned on every different metric they have? Yep. For sure. But, if you cannot learn to control the aspects of your work that you can control, and not worry about that over which you have no control, do not be an ALJ for SSA.


Finally, today is National pie day. Go get some pie. It makes things better.

[sandiferhands (old)]

Jan 22, 2014 22:07:50 GMT -5 jcse said:

I would like to try private practice. I want my life back and I am tired of the numbers game.

Very sorry to see this. You obviously don't like the job. I am concerned for you based on the above statement, however.

If you had written "I want to be challenged" or "I want a chance to work harder for more money" or something similar it would fit better with "I would like to try private practice." Having been in private practice now for 28 years I can tell you that it is not generally a route to "get your life back" or avoid the pressure of meeting quotas and "numbers". It has its thrills and compensations, to be sure--but  those are not two of them.

If you have already had substantial involvement in PP, then please forgive my nosiness. If, however, you have not, then please accept this good faith suggestion that you carefully investigate what you might be getting into. Several thousand people putting up with this process for most of a year now trying to get out of PP and into what you're doing can't all be wrong!

[sealaw90]

sandi,
Having worked the trifecta - military, private and government(civilian) practice, each has its ups and downs. But I think no where more than private practice is where you experience the numbers game. Although I may never get the chance to be an ALJ, the fact that you have to 'produce' is nothing new to the practice of law. Private practice numbers: Billable hours; Spending nights and weekends sending late payment notices to clients which means less time with your family; Reconciling trust accounts and business accounts with statements to keep the bar off your back; maintain meticulous records of hours spent on each case for proper billing and defending your bills when the client or the judge complains (and they do). These things take up a lot of time, and some of it you just can't squeeze into a bill to a client. Ughh! I don't know, but no one has yet to scare me away from still vying for an ALJ spot.
Thanks for the reminder of why I closed up shop and took this government gig! It's not the best job I ever had, but I definitely got my life back when I got out of PP.

[bartleby]

jcse, I agree with you. There are a lot of private practice areas where you can set your own hours and days to work. If you are good, have a good reputation, live in a smaller town, and limit your practice based on your quality of life versus the all mighty buck, private practice can be sweet. The practice of law is what you make it. If you need $200,000.00 a year, you must work hard to insure you have that. If you are comfortable on $100,000.00 a year you can make that a lot easier. One doesn't have to enter into criminal defense to be a lawyer. There are several areas that are less stressful and as gratifying as defense work. It depends on the individual and what they need in the line of comfort versus ego. The law is one field that offers more opporunity than almost any other field. Enjoy life. Find what you want and seize it. Not only will you be happy, you will be nicer to be around for those you love and love you. Trust me..