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Post by JudgeRatty on Jan 14, 2014 10:50:22 GMT -5
Social Security Administration (SSA) – The bill includes $11.7 billion to administer SSA activities, which is a $265 million increase above the fiscal year 2013 enacted level. This level is sufficient to allow the SSA to continue prompt processing of Social Security checks and claims, and will help ensure that all eligible recipients get their benefits on time and in the proper amount. Within the total, the bill devotes $1.2 billion to program integrity activities to ensure that disability and other benefits are properly paid. appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=366721Scroll down to: Labor/Health and Human Services/Education and you can open the PDF. |
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Post by funkyodar on Jan 14, 2014 10:58:12 GMT -5
Awesome. thanks sratty. 265 million more than last year certainly seems to allow for the more "significant" alj hiring than originally planned Sklar mentioned.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Jan 14, 2014 11:02:13 GMT -5
Awesome. thanks sratty. 265 million more than last year certainly seems to allow for the more "significant" alj hiring than originally planned Sklar mentioned. THIS is what we have been waiting for...the actual slice of the pie. I bet things start moving now. At least NORs and then we can wait some more!  |
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Post by bartleby on Jan 14, 2014 11:24:02 GMT -5
The latest Union newsletter noted that the Agency would like to hire 180 new ALJ's..
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Post by christina on Jan 14, 2014 11:25:56 GMT -5
180, wow. that would be a big hire. may the notices begin |
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Post by orchid on Jan 14, 2014 11:30:28 GMT -5
180 hires over how long of a period?
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Post by Gaidin on Jan 14, 2014 11:42:07 GMT -5
180 hires over how long of a period? Even over 3 years it would be bigger than I expected for that time period. I can't imagine any agency is really projecting past the end of 2015 fiscal because of the insanity just getting to this budget. Based on stuff in another thread the class size caps at about 60. So you would be looking at 3 classes. 3 classes could be hired and trained in the same year. If the agency chose to hire that many in a given year. |
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Post by orchid on Jan 14, 2014 12:29:08 GMT -5
I did some digging and found the newsletter online. The relevant excerpt is:
13. Budget and staffing update
The Agency advised that no one knows anything about the current budget, as everyone is waiting for congressional action in January. There is no overtime, no hiring, no fluff travel and we are limited to 10 relocations. The Agency is asking for 180 ALJs and support staff of 4.5 per ALJ, but doesn’t expect to get this. Furlough days are possible during this fiscal year, depending on our funding level. 25 million dollars equals 1 day of payroll.
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Post by moopigsdad on Jan 14, 2014 13:54:08 GMT -5
Social Security Administration (SSA) – The bill includes $11.7 billion to administer SSA activities, which is a $265 million increase above the fiscal year 2013 enacted level. This level is sufficient to allow the SSA to continue prompt processing of Social Security checks and claims, and will help ensure that all eligible recipients get their benefits on time and in the proper amount. Within the total, the bill devotes $1.2 billion to program integrity activities to ensure that disability and other benefits are properly paid. appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=366721Scroll down to: Labor/Health and Human Services/Education and you can open the PDF. Awesome. thanks sratty. 265 million more than last year certainly seems to allow for the more "significant" alj hiring than originally planned Sklar mentioned. THIS is what we have been waiting for...the actual slice of the pie. I bet things start moving now. At least NORs and then we can wait some more! Let's hope you are spot on sratty. Great catch and post! |
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Post by funkyodar on Jan 14, 2014 14:09:01 GMT -5
I did some digging and found the newsletter online. The relevant excerpt is: 13. Budget and staffing update The Agency advised that no one knows anything about the current budget, as everyone is waiting for congressional action in January. There is no overtime, no hiring, no fluff travel and we are limited to 10 relocations. The Agency is asking for 180 ALJs and support staff of 4.5 per ALJ, but doesn’t expect to get this. Furlough days are possible during this fiscal year, depending on our funding level. 25 million dollars equals 1 day of payroll. Thanks orchid. Whats the date on that article? It sounds as if it was written prebudget deal. Not saying the budget we have will allow the full 180, but its certainly better than what was in place prior to december. |
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Post by orchid on Jan 14, 2014 14:14:15 GMT -5
I did some digging and found the newsletter online. The relevant excerpt is: 13. Budget and staffing update The Agency advised that no one knows anything about the current budget, as everyone is waiting for congressional action in January. There is no overtime, no hiring, no fluff travel and we are limited to 10 relocations. The Agency is asking for 180 ALJs and support staff of 4.5 per ALJ, but doesn’t expect to get this. Furlough days are possible during this fiscal year, depending on our funding level. 25 million dollars equals 1 day of payroll. Thanks orchid. Whats the date on that article? It sounds as if it was written prebudget deal. Not saying the budget we have will allow the full 180, but its certainly better than what was in place prior to december. The newsletter is dated Jan 13 and is available at www.aalj.org/system/files/documents/aalj_newsletter__________january_13_2014.pdfLet's hope various agencies go on hiring sprees! |
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Post by BagLady on Jan 14, 2014 14:46:21 GMT -5
The minutes are from November 20-21, so definitely pre-budget. |
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Post by Ace Midnight on Jan 14, 2014 15:34:25 GMT -5
Based on stuff in another thread the class size caps at about 60. So you would be looking at 3 classes. 3 classes could be hired and trained in the same year. If the agency chose to hire that many in a given year. I'm fairly certain there have been bigger classes than 60 - there used to be "big" classes of ~100 and "small" classes of around ~25 or 30. I'm not disputing you, Gaidan, as I don't recall the details of those other threads, but has there been a verifiable change on this? That said, I'm okay with 3 classes of 60 this year and 2 or 3 classes of 60 next year - If the 200+ projected vacancy is valid, replacing 180 this year, will leave 100+ vacancies next year with the shortfall and continuing attrition. |
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Post by funkyodar on Jan 14, 2014 16:17:09 GMT -5
If you run the numbers, ssa in total is getting about 750k a day more than last year. Thats huge but not gamechanging.
A hire of 180 aljs would be gamechanging in my opinion. Thats 6 times what they hired last year. The new budget is only a 2.3% increase over last year. Ican't see where that would lead to a 6 fold increase in alj hiring.
Based on comments from Bice and speculation from others, I expected only about 30 new hires this year before the budget. With the increase, Sklar said they could do a more "signficant" hire. Question is, what's his definition of "significant"? Doubling is significant, but only means 60 hires.
All of this is very good news, but I don't think a hire as big as 180 is in the cards. I'd be ecstatic to be wrong though.
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Post by hopefalj on Jan 14, 2014 16:29:09 GMT -5
Based on stuff in another thread the class size caps at about 60. So you would be looking at 3 classes. 3 classes could be hired and trained in the same year. If the agency chose to hire that many in a given year. I'm fairly certain there have been bigger classes than 60 - there used to be "big" classes of ~100 and "small" classes of around ~25 or 30. I'm not disputing you, Gaidan, as I don't recall the details of those other threads, but has there been a verifiable change on this? That said, I'm okay with 3 classes of 60 this year and 2 or 3 classes of 60 next year - If the 200+ projected vacancy is valid, replacing 180 this year, will leave 100+ vacancies next year with the shortfall and continuing attrition. I think you're both kind of right. If class means total hiring off a cert, you are correct. You can make a huge hire off a certificate that exceeds 60. If you mean training class size, gaidan is correct, although I thought up to 75 newly appointed judges can train at once. I'm pretty sure they've had staggered start and training dates in the past after a huge hire due to these constraints. Obviously those more experienced folks can correct me, but that is my recollection from a previous review of these boards. |
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Post by southeastalj on Jan 14, 2014 16:42:09 GMT -5
Based on stuff in another thread the class size caps at about 60. So you would be looking at 3 classes. 3 classes could be hired and trained in the same year. If the agency chose to hire that many in a given year. I'm fairly certain there have been bigger classes than 60 - there used to be "big" classes of ~100 and "small" classes of around ~25 or 30. I'm not disputing you, Gaidan, as I don't recall the details of those other threads, but has there been a verifiable change on this? That said, I'm okay with 3 classes of 60 this year and 2 or 3 classes of 60 next year - If the 200+ projected vacancy is valid, replacing 180 this year, will leave 100+ vacancies next year with the shortfall and continuing attrition. The training center in Falls Church will not accommodate a class larger than 60 students. |
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Post by redryder on Jan 14, 2014 17:01:45 GMT -5
I was part of a big hire in 2010. There were 3 training classes. When offered the jobs, candidates were given staggered report dates that coordinated with the training schedule. There were 53 in my class and the training room was packed to capacity in Falls Church.
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Post by Propmaster on Jan 14, 2014 17:53:22 GMT -5
Don't forget that normal attrition in the ALJ corps is over 80 per year, IIRC. I think we're down a little from last year, so with essentially 2 years of attrition and working ahead of upcoming attrition (so trained people can take over for people about to leave, rather than having productivity gaps), perhaps 180 is not so farfetched. Although I don't personally expect that.
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Post by zebra51 on Jan 14, 2014 19:05:29 GMT -5
From the January 13 AALJ news letter.www.aalj.org/system/files/documents/aalj_newsletter__________january_13_2014.pdf
"10. How many judges have retired so far this calendar year?
52 since 1/1/13."
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Post by alj on Jan 14, 2014 19:19:06 GMT -5
In 2000 or 2001 there was a class of about 120+. It was a mess. The meeting rooms at the hotel were crowded and uncomfortable, and the hotel facilities were crowded.
They are now using the headquarter's facilities in Falls Church. Classes are smaller and more manageable. So don't look for anymore large classes unless they change the training location. That isn't realistic because of the necessary computer training that is such a large part of the training process and of the job.
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