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Post by desert2beach on Sept 17, 2018 8:24:25 GMT -5
Yes. My reading is that the score already has VP added. I think that has to be true. My score from OPM is high, but if the score reported by OPM is without VP, it would be too high with 10 points added. That's my understanding as well. So, your score, plus $2, will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks ...
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Post by neufenland on Sept 17, 2018 8:51:25 GMT -5
Yes. My reading is that the score already has VP added. I think that has to be true. My score from OPM is high, but if the score reported by OPM is without VP, it would be too high with 10 points added. That's my understanding as well. So, your score, plus $2, will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks ... That’s a pretty cheap order for Starbucks.
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Post by privateatty on Sept 17, 2018 17:53:42 GMT -5
alj10028, I was being whimsical and (perhaps poorly), trying to make a point. Which is, I think that for the ALJ Corps to truly succeed (as it has these 71 years) you need a mix of all types of lawyers with varied experiences. Insiders with different agencies, outsiders who have worked for Legal Aid and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. Just hiring insiders with the particular agency will destroy consumer confidence. Look at the press pre- Lucia: the SEC Judges were "in-house" adjudicators... OK, I see what you're saying, but the consumer confidence is already shot by the fact that the ALJs work for the agency itself. I'm not sure the average consumer makes the distinction about where the ALJ worked before he or she was hired. Please. This is hardly true. And it reinforces all the pre Lucia bad press the ALJs got. It is the solemn duty of every FMSHRC, SSA, SEC and OMHA Judge (I've missed a few) to communicate to the parties (absent and present) by all means available that they are running an independent court. The SG may seek to strengthen the Executive Branch but the end result will be to weaken it.
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Post by privateatty on Sept 18, 2018 17:29:00 GMT -5
You can communicate that message all you want, but when a hearing generates a winner and a loser, dollars to doughnuts the loser is going to include on his list of reasons why he lost: "the fix is in because the judge gets paid by the agency". I'm not saying it's fair or even close to correct, but people have been griping about this as long as there have been ALJs. And there's a little doctrine in federal due process law called "structural error." If a court thinks some aspect of agency oversight of the ALJ makes him or her prone to rule (or err) on the side of the agency, the facts of bias or prejudice in the particular case won't even matter. I don't think there's a good argument based on the caseload, because that actually pressures SSA ALJs to award benefits, not deny them. There may be a better argument based on the weakening of job protections. SSA has never concerned itself with outcome, only output. Whatever mischief comes down the pike will, (like Lucia), not come from your agency.
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Post by Prrple on Feb 14, 2019 22:44:15 GMT -5
just received my NOR for 10 or veterans testing this past November. I think it's a decent score. Me, too. I did get a score, and I'm happy with it. E-mail came in at 9:15 Eastern time with the appeal notice arriving within the same minute. The appeal notice comes no matter what, because one can appeal even with a numerical score. Thanks to all 10-point vets who have provided enough information in the past to allow me to have an idea of when scores would be released. I'd figured that this week was the latest that they would come out based on the last people doing WD/SI in DC the week after Thanksgiving. It followed the timeline for releasing scores to the bigger group in terms of the number of weeks between the last testing dates and release of NORs. One year ago today I got a score that added me to the register. What a difference a year makes...
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Post by desert2beach on Feb 15, 2019 8:20:35 GMT -5
It's funny. The score I received from probably the last testing that will ever be given, was pretty good with the 10 points added. I think I would have had a shot at an opening, if one existed in the cities I selected. Without getting my hopes up, I'm curious to see what will happen with the next register-only announcement, if that even occurs.
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Post by rockey on Feb 15, 2019 12:49:15 GMT -5
It's funny. The score I received from probably the last testing that will ever be given, was pretty good with the 10 points added. I think I would have had a shot at an opening, if one existed in the cities I selected. Without getting my hopes up, I'm curious to see what will happen with the next register-only announcement, if that even occurs. With my 10-points, I had an 85.7. As a result, I too thought I had a good shot at becoming an ALJ. Trump’s EO was a heartbreaker. Oh well. EDIT NOTE by Pixie: I changed your score to protect your anonymity. Pixie
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Post by anotherfed on Feb 15, 2019 13:27:51 GMT -5
It's funny. The score I received from probably the last testing that will ever be given, was pretty good with the 10 points added. I think I would have had a shot at an opening, if one existed in the cities I selected. Without getting my hopes up, I'm curious to see what will happen with the next register-only announcement, if that even occurs. With my 10-points, I had an 85.7. As a result, I too thought I had a good shot at becoming an ALJ. Trump’s EO was a heartbreaker. Oh well. Do not lose hope! I think you still have a good shot. When there are open postings (like the recent OMHA one), having a high NOR on the UnRegister is certainly an accomplishment you can list on your resume even in a post-EO world. And though agencies are not obligated to hire solely from OPM-approved candidates, that accomplishment sets you apart from the guy off the street. It also makes you easier to hire, because you've already had some govt vetting. I think the biggest purpose of the EO was to give SSA flexibility in hiring, so that they weren't limited to the next NORs on the list, the Rule of 3, etc. That doesn't mean being the best in a field of the best will not be taken into account.
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Post by Pixie on Feb 15, 2019 13:54:03 GMT -5
It's funny. The score I received from probably the last testing that will ever be given, was pretty good with the 10 points added. I think I would have had a shot at an opening, if one existed in the cities I selected. Without getting my hopes up, I'm curious to see what will happen with the next register-only announcement, if that even occurs. With my 10-points, I had an 85.7. As a result, I too thought I had a good shot at becoming an ALJ. Trump’s EO was a heartbreaker. Oh well. EDIT NOTE by Pixie: I changed your score to protect your anonymity. Pixie Unlike anotherfed I think your chances are not good if you are an outsider. I don't know what OMHA will do, but I imagine it, like SSA, will want insiders with a good track record. Why take a chance on an unknown when there are so many known insiders to choose from. I have known ALJs who looked great on paper, and may have been an excellent fit in another job, but just couldn't handle the case load in our Agency. We should know in a few months how TPTB in SSA and OMHA will deal with this new situation. Pixie
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Post by arkstfan on Feb 15, 2019 14:51:55 GMT -5
With my 10-points, I had an 85.7. As a result, I too thought I had a good shot at becoming an ALJ. Trump’s EO was a heartbreaker. Oh well. EDIT NOTE by Pixie: I changed your score to protect your anonymity. Pixie Unlike anotherfed I think your chances are not good if you are an outsider. I don't know what OMHA will do, but I imagine it, like SSA, will want insiders with a good track record. Why take a chance on an unknown when there are so many known insiders to choose from. I have known ALJs who looked great on paper, and may have been an excellent fit in another job, but just couldn't handle the case load in our Agency. We should know in a few months how TPTB in SSA and OMHA will deal with this new situation. Pixie I think that's probably the correct read. I was basically the ODAR dream candidate. Few years as an AA in the agency with a lot of litigation in state court and state administrative hearings prior to coming over. The most recent AA hiring from what I've seen is closer to that model, people with several years of experience in litigation either in legal aid or state and local government or private practice who could be on judge track if they are productive.
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Post by rockey on Feb 15, 2019 20:27:21 GMT -5
Unlike anotherfed I think your chances are not good if you are an outsider. I don't know what OMHA will do, but I imagine it, like SSA, will want insiders with a good track record. Why take a chance on an unknown when there are so many known insiders to choose from. I have known ALJs who looked great on paper, and may have been an excellent fit in another job, but just couldn't handle the case load in our Agency. We should know in a few months how TPTB in SSA and OMHA will deal with this new situation. Pixie I think that's probably the correct read. I was basically the ODAR dream candidate. Few years as an AA in the agency with a lot of litigation in state court and state administrative hearings prior to coming over. The most recent AA hiring from what I've seen is closer to that model, people with several years of experience in litigation either in legal aid or state and local government or private practice who could be on judge track if they are productive. I agree that my chances of becoming an ALJ have diminished considerably with Trump’s EO. However, I still apply for positions as they open. My chances of being hired, while less than before, are still greater than zero. Low probability events happen. People get struck by lightning, eaten by sharks or win Powerball. My resume is up to date and already on the USA jobs site, with all the documents I need to prove I’m a disabled vet. It doesn’t take much effort to apply at this point. All I can do is try. Oh, and Pixie, thanks for the effort in protecting my anonymity. Test scores are as relevant as shoe sizes when choosing who will be hired as ALJs, so I didn’t think the trashed scores mattered.
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Post by bayou on Feb 15, 2019 23:28:44 GMT -5
I'm hoping that the demand at OMHA outstrips the insider supply for this hiring. Since they may hire so many judges this time and the fact that the announcement stayed open so long gives me slight hope that outsiders have a shot for this one hiring.
Then again it could be the grand slam LSU just hit talking.
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Post by Pixie on Feb 16, 2019 2:16:13 GMT -5
I think that's probably the correct read. I was basically the ODAR dream candidate. Few years as an AA in the agency with a lot of litigation in state court and state administrative hearings prior to coming over. The most recent AA hiring from what I've seen is closer to that model, people with several years of experience in litigation either in legal aid or state and local government or private practice who could be on judge track if they are productive. I agree that my chances of becoming an ALJ have diminished considerably with Trump’s EO. However, I still apply for positions as they open. My chances of being hired, while less than before, are still greater than zero. Low probability events happen. People get struck by lightning, eaten by sharks or win Powerball. My resume is up to date and already on the USA jobs site, with all the documents I need to prove I’m a disabled vet. It doesn’t take much effort to apply at this point. All I can do is try. Oh, and Pixie, thanks for the effort in protecting my anonymity. Test scores are as relevant as shoe sizes when choosing who will be hired as ALJs, so I didn’t think the trashed scores mattered. Still, it is good to not let TPTB know your real identity. With your exact score posted, it would be fairly simple to determine who you are. I take it on as one of my jobs on this board to protect the anonymity of all of our members. Pixie
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Post by Prrple on Feb 16, 2019 19:51:26 GMT -5
I agree that my chances of becoming an ALJ have diminished considerably with Trump’s EO. However, I still apply for positions as they open. My chances of being hired, while less than before, are still greater than zero. Low probability events happen. People get struck by lightning, eaten by sharks or win Powerball. My resume is up to date and already on the USA jobs site, with all the documents I need to prove I’m a disabled vet. It doesn’t take much effort to apply at this point. All I can do is try. Oh, and Pixie, thanks for the effort in protecting my anonymity. Test scores are as relevant as shoe sizes when choosing who will be hired as ALJs, so I didn’t think the trashed scores mattered. Still, it is good to not let TPTB know your real identity. With your exact score posted, it would be fairly simple to determine who you are. I take it on as one of my jobs on this board to protect the anonymity of all of our members. Pixie I was having the same thoughts about it as rockey, and was tempted to share mine, too, because it was stinking GREAT, but also would leave me no mystery. I always heard that the key to a good relationship is to keep a little mystery alive.
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Post by anotherfed on Feb 17, 2019 19:21:55 GMT -5
With my 10-points, I had an 85.7. As a result, I too thought I had a good shot at becoming an ALJ. Trump’s EO was a heartbreaker. Oh well. EDIT NOTE by Pixie: I changed your score to protect your anonymity. Pixie Unlike anotherfed I think your chances are not good if you are an outsider. I don't know what OMHA will do, but I imagine it, like SSA, will want insiders with a good track record. Why take a chance on an unknown when there are so many known insiders to choose from. I have known ALJs who looked great on paper, and may have been an excellent fit in another job, but just couldn't handle the case load in our Agency. We should know in a few months how TPTB in SSA and OMHA will deal with this new situation. Pixie Pixie, you are a killjoy! It goes without saying that any agency will choose proven insiders over outsiders. But I do think that, all other things being equal, having passed the OPM exam will give that candidate an edge over others.
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Post by Pixie on Feb 18, 2019 1:13:25 GMT -5
We'll see how it plays out in the future. I don't think it bodes well for the outsiders. We shall see. Pixie
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Post by privateatty on Feb 18, 2019 7:19:40 GMT -5
I haven't met anyone who likes the EO and the OPM Directive aftermath. I also think that the Agencies are doing everything they can to ensure that the hiring process is not turned into a patronage job by trying to make the selection process as academic and rigorous as it was before.
As to the insider/outsider argument, it is now 12 years old-the age of this Board. Good insider candidates with the experience level sought will get hired. The problems is that most folks on this Board think they are that candidate, but they aren't. They've made an enemy, they have an issue or two, they can't pass the credit check, they have been low in production, yada yada yada.
That is how outsiders like me slip in.
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Post by Prrple on Apr 17, 2019 16:56:09 GMT -5
Anyone have any thoughts on the idea of a Schedule A application? Those of us who are 10-point vets often also qualify under Schedule A due to having a serious health condition, while still being job ready.
Schedule A, which is optional, allows those who qualify under it to be hired without competing the job, or having a job announcement. Here's a link on what Schedule A is, with several links that describe how it works www.diversity.va.gov/programs/scheda.aspx
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Post by Peabody on Apr 17, 2019 17:06:27 GMT -5
It is certainly worth a shot, but I know of one vet who tried this and was kindly told it was a no go. YMMV.
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