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Post by privateatty on Aug 16, 2014 10:25:13 GMT -5
While I have no dog in this hunt I'm a little surprised that no one has mapped the closest bars to the training--that you could walk to.
FWIW, you don't want to get a DUI as an ALJ. The best advice I ever got after swearing in was "stay under the radar". I think in that regard being in a big city has its advantages.
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Post by philliesfan on Aug 16, 2014 10:59:59 GMT -5
If you travel on Sunday or Columbus Day, you are entitled to travel compensatory time for your actual travel time. The last Friday of training is the formal swearing in ceremony. Bartleby and I had ours in one of the House of Representative committee rooms in the Capitol, but that is not always the case. In any event, I was back at the Residence Inn before noon. Most people should be able to get home on Friday. In our class, during the last week we had an earthquake and Saturday after we were done, there was supposed to be a significant hurricane, so some people left a soon as they could to beat the storm before they started cancelling flights.
BTW, there are several drinking establishments within two or three blocks of the hotel. Unless the Residence in has changed its policy, with the free food they serve Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights, we also got three free glasses of wine or three beers, which should help you wind down after a long day of being talked at.
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Post by crab on Aug 16, 2014 12:36:05 GMT -5
While I don't claim to be an expert on the federal travel regs, it's my understanding that one cannot get travel comp on a federal holiday because you are in paid status during what would be your normal tour of duty for that day. Feels harsh but I believe that's the way the regs have been interpreted. I would imagine that time outside your tour of duty would be compensable, however. And three free beers waiting for you might make take the sting out of it...
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Post by Missundaztood on Aug 17, 2014 13:43:09 GMT -5
Any insight on what cities might be on the second cert? The usual suspects -- Crapland: north, south, and mid-west.
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Post by philliesfan on Aug 17, 2014 13:47:24 GMT -5
My bad about travel on Columbus Day, but if you have to travel on the Saturday after training to get home, then you are also entitled to travel comp.
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Post by robespierre on Aug 17, 2014 17:44:52 GMT -5
Any insight on what cities might be on the second cert? The usual suspects -- Crapland: north, south, and mid-west. I know that's just a humorous comment, but it's worth pointing out that there's a chance of being appointed to a non-Crapland location. On the last cert there were openings in Philadelphia, Richmond, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha, Las Vegas. From the previous register, there were certs that included Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, L.A., Miami, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, San Francisco. Most openings are in Crapland, but certainly not all. The whole concept of Crapland is subjective anyway.
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Post by 71stretch on Aug 17, 2014 19:03:22 GMT -5
The usual suspects -- Crapland: north, south, and mid-west. I know that's just a humorous comment, but it's worth pointing out that there's a chance of being appointed to a non-Crapland location. On the last cert there were openings in Philadelphia, Richmond, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha, Las Vegas. From the previous register, there were certs that included Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, L.A., Miami, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, San Francisco. Most openings are in Crapland, but certainly not all. The whole concept of Crapland is subjective anyway. To be entirely accurate, Phoenix only came up on a cert in 2010 when they were opening a second office there. Despite the fact that there are vacancies in both offices, judges detailed there from other cities, and pending retirements, it's a popular transfer in location and probably still won't end up on any certs in the near future. There are good cities on the certs, just perhaps not the ones people are looking for at the time.
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Post by Gaidin on Aug 17, 2014 19:31:29 GMT -5
Robes you haven't spent enough time in Cincinnati if you think its not Crapland.
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Post by robespierre on Aug 17, 2014 21:02:12 GMT -5
I know that's just a humorous comment, but it's worth pointing out that there's a chance of being appointed to a non-Crapland location. On the last cert there were openings in Philadelphia, Richmond, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha, Las Vegas. From the previous register, there were certs that included Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, L.A., Miami, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, San Francisco. Most openings are in Crapland, but certainly not all. The whole concept of Crapland is subjective anyway. To be entirely accurate, Phoenix only came up on a cert in 2010 when they were opening a second office there. Despite the fact that there are vacancies in both offices, judges detailed there from other cities, and pending retirements, it's a popular transfer in location and probably still won't end up on any certs in the near future. There are good cities on the certs, just perhaps not the ones people are looking for at the time. According to Gaidin's research, Phoenix and Phoenix North came up a total of four times on certs from the prior register.
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Post by Gaidin on Aug 17, 2014 21:13:17 GMT -5
To be entirely accurate, Phoenix only came up on a cert in 2010 when they were opening a second office there. Despite the fact that there are vacancies in both offices, judges detailed there from other cities, and pending retirements, it's a popular transfer in location and probably still won't end up on any certs in the near future. There are good cities on the certs, just perhaps not the ones people are looking for at the time. According to Gaidin's research, Phoenix and Phoenix North came up a total of four times on certs from the prior register. Remember though that doesn't mean they hired for those cities.
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Post by 71stretch on Aug 17, 2014 21:50:43 GMT -5
I think the only time they actually hired for Phoenix or Phoenix North since 2010 was in 2010, with the new office. They may have come up in the early years of the register, which I don't know about... and might as well have been in a galaxy far far away with all the changes that have been happening.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2014 11:03:18 GMT -5
Quote from the AALJ Newsletter that came out this morning...just passing on....
"From our meeting last week, we learned that the Agency has appointed 43 new judges who will report to their respective hearing offices on August 25; a second class of 28 judges will report to their offices in late September. There will be additional judges appointed late this calendar year as well as next year, however, these will be smaller classes."
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Post by luckylady2 on Aug 19, 2014 11:07:00 GMT -5
Wow! Thanks robg. It sounds like 60 is not an optimal class size. And/or that ODAR will be working the certs/cities in smaller batches.
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Post by futuressaalj on Aug 19, 2014 11:10:09 GMT -5
Quote from the AALJ Newsletter that came out this morning...just passing on.... "From our meeting last week, we learned that the Agency has appointed 43 new judges who will report to their respective hearing offices on August 25; a second class of 28 judges will report to their offices in late September. There will be additional judges appointed late this calendar year as well as next year, however, these will be smaller classes." Robg, do not see you around that much but when you do drop in, you are very informative. Thank you!
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Post by robespierre on Aug 19, 2014 11:10:17 GMT -5
"smaller classes" Ouch.
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Post by bartleby on Aug 19, 2014 11:13:31 GMT -5
Philliesfan, you noted, "we also got three free glasses of wine or three beers, which should help you wind down after a long day of being talked at." They gave us two tickets for wine or beer. I don't know who you were getting your third one from..
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Post by sandiferhands (old) on Aug 19, 2014 11:13:49 GMT -5
Yeah, that smarts. Like a bomb going off under your seat. So much for the "200" hires projection. Looks like the second cert will be just as nerve-wracking as the first one was.
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Post by luckylady2 on Aug 19, 2014 11:22:04 GMT -5
Perhaps - on the bright side, it looks like there's hope for several rounds of certs, not the one-and-done of the past.
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 19, 2014 11:32:17 GMT -5
I am not so sure the ALJ union has the information correct. The amount of present hires may be correct, but future hiring is just a guess on their part. Thanks for passing it on though, robg.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Aug 19, 2014 11:45:09 GMT -5
I am not so sure the ALJ union has the information correct. The amount of present hires may be correct, but future hiring is just a guess on their part. Thanks for passing it on though, robg. The numbers were 43 and 27 (totaling 70 for the 2 classes) and that was directly from DC Sklar in an All Manager's call last week. I think the rest is speculation on the Union's part basing that on this first hiring of the new register. SSA has every intention of hiring as many ALJs as they can as quickly as they can. This whole new process is simply that...new. And they are making their way through the process learning how to deal with it. The turn around time for responses no doubt played a heavy roll in making the last class smaller than anticipated (45 being the original plan for each class). I think everyone needs to take Observer's advice and chill a bit before jumping to any conclusions. The goal has been to hire as many as they can as there are too many vacancies in the ALJ corps right now. It's a good time to be on the register folks.
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