mkt
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by mkt on Nov 8, 2014 6:04:40 GMT -5
Good morning, all. Can someone explain how telework, well, works, and when one is allowed to do it?
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Post by orchid on Nov 8, 2014 6:49:16 GMT -5
Can ALJs telework and if so how often?
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Post by hopefalj on Nov 8, 2014 7:59:16 GMT -5
I can give a brief answer, I think, and should surely be corrected or have my answer added to by current ALJs. You are eligible for telework after one year on the job. You now get ten days of telework at home per month. I believe (unless it's still subject to ratification in the new contract) that your telework location must be within two hours of your office, meaning if they call you to come in, you must be able to get there in two hours.
We have a VPN that we log into from our alternate duty station. The agency provides the laptop and you provide the Internet service. Once you're logged on, you can review files, make notes, write instructions, and edit decisions, but I don't think you can sign them from home. You have access to your email and instant messenger. ALJs can elaborate further on what they do at home, but the judges I have talked to use it to prepare for hearings and review decisions.
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Post by Ace Midnight on Nov 8, 2014 8:03:01 GMT -5
I believe Hopeful is spot on - I'll add the overall concept is that you can Telework/Flexiplace/VPN (however one describes it) most, if not all, the days you are not in hearings - the battle rhythm varies from office to office, and there are exceptions, but your days are normally a 1:1 ratio of hearing:non-hearing days.
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Post by hopefalj on Nov 8, 2014 8:10:24 GMT -5
Oh yeah, to ace's point, you can't hold hearings at home via telework.
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Post by christina on Nov 8, 2014 9:19:55 GMT -5
and i thought you could esign from home. could be wrong on that issue but i think some of our judges have issued decisions on a telework day. maybe the hocalj is e-signing these cases with permission from these judges. since the "VPN" bugs are still getting worked out, it is plausible the computers do not always cooperate with esigning from home. and esigning means you eletronically sign the decision from a computer using your ALJ code. almost all decisions are signed that way now.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Nov 8, 2014 9:39:14 GMT -5
and i thought you could esign from home. could be wrong on that issue but i think some of our judges have issued decisions on a telework day. maybe the hocalj is e-signing these cases with permission from these judges. since the "VPN" bugs are still getting worked out, it is plausible the computers do not always cooperate with esigning from home. and esigning means you eletronically sign the decision from a computer using your ALJ code. almost all decisions are signed that way now. No problems esigning from home in our office.
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Post by Orly on Nov 8, 2014 9:46:21 GMT -5
and i thought you could esign from home. could be wrong on that issue but i think some of our judges have issued decisions on a telework day. maybe the hocalj is e-signing these cases with permission from these judges. since the "VPN" bugs are still getting worked out, it is plausible the computers do not always cooperate with esigning from home. and esigning means you eletronically sign the decision from a computer using your ALJ code. almost all decisions are signed that way now. E-signed a bunch of decisions teleworking via VPN yesterday. No difference from being at the office.
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Post by christina on Nov 8, 2014 9:47:59 GMT -5
thanks sr for confirming an ALJ can esign from home. i thought they could but was not sure. i do seem to remember our judges complaining a few months ago that it could take forever to esign from home, which was aggravating. however, the agency seems to very committed to improving any VPN and telework issues and i have not heard any recent ALJ complaints on these issues. i've had some problems with my laptop so i have seen firsthand the committed agency effort to work any problems out. and to all, see orly's post above that e-signing works fine from home.
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Post by hopefalj on Nov 8, 2014 9:55:58 GMT -5
and i thought you could esign from home. could be wrong on that issue but i think some of our judges have issued decisions on a telework day. maybe the hocalj is e-signing these cases with permission from these judges. since the "VPN" bugs are still getting worked out, it is plausible the computers do not always cooperate with esigning from home. and esigning means you eletronically sign the decision from a computer using your ALJ code. almost all decisions are signed that way now. E-signed a bunch of decisions teleworking via VPN yesterday. No difference from being at the office. That's good to hear. I could have misheard or misunderstood, or maybe things got ironed out since the advent of telework. I just remember (or misremember) hearing something was screwy with esigning decisions and telework.
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Post by christina on Nov 8, 2014 9:58:10 GMT -5
hopeful, i heard the same but have not heard any complaints since the summer
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mkt
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by mkt on Nov 8, 2014 10:35:56 GMT -5
That sounds wonderful and very progressive. Are judges restricted on which days of the week they work from home, such as Mondays and Fridays, or do they have the discretion to choose?
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Post by carrickfergus on Nov 8, 2014 11:03:34 GMT -5
No restrictions for particular days, but the each ODAR is supposed to have no more than 50% of its ALJs teleworking on any given day. This is to make sure that hearing rooms don't go vacant every Monday and Friday. Seniority will determine who gets to choose their telework days first. "Seniority" varies from office to office - it can be calculated either from your SCD (service comp date = first day of federal employment), your ALJ appointment date (if different from your SCD), or the date you are assigned to the office, in the case of transfers.
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Post by mamaru on Nov 8, 2014 14:46:29 GMT -5
Oh yeah, to ace's point, you can't hold hearings at home via telework. Rumors are afloat that video hearings from home may be part of the future. It's probably premature to purchase the flag and envision which wall of your house would look good with the SSA seal affixed.
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Post by Ace Midnight on Nov 8, 2014 15:48:15 GMT -5
Oh yeah, to ace's point, you can't hold hearings at home via telework. Rumors are afloat that video hearings from home may be part of the future. It's probably premature to purchase the flag and envision which wall of your house would look good with the SSA seal affixed. I have heard similar things - and ultimately Judges will be relatively location independent. I think that's a little far off, but modern budgetary issues being what they are - not having to logistically support a judge in person has a lot of financial advantages - his/her electricity, water, broadband internet connection, etc. And there's a lot to be said for the efficiency of 100% working at home - no commute, no gasoline and other vehicle expenses, no "eating out for lunch" expenses, etc.
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Post by FlaTreeFarm on Nov 9, 2014 11:52:56 GMT -5
Does anyone know how the "two hours" is measured? Is there a designated distance, either by road or as the crow flies, or is it dependent on how fast you are willing to drive? I wonder if there might be some flexibility depending on the HOCALJ.
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Post by hamster on Nov 9, 2014 13:15:07 GMT -5
I usually measure two hours with my wrist watch. There may be some flexibility, but that would be purely unofficial. I myself wouldn't count on that. But I also invest in bonds.
Best, Hamster
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Post by workdrone on Nov 9, 2014 13:40:30 GMT -5
I usually measure two hours with my wrist watch. There may be some flexibility, but that would be purely unofficial. I myself wouldn't count on that. But I also invest in bonds. Best, Hamster Agreed. There are so many factors involved there is not a one size fits all answer. How far you can drive in two hours is very different depending on the traffic situation of your specific locale and weather of the day. I think the bottom line is to be fair and reasonable in your request.
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Post by FlaTreeFarm on Nov 9, 2014 13:50:12 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments. I remember in the service, we had a map with a circle drawn on it and there was no question on the limits. This sounds a little more flexible. But not counting on anything, just wondering!
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Post by mamaru on Nov 11, 2014 13:09:51 GMT -5
There's a fairly recent thread on this topic of two hours. It's "telework two hour call back."
For those of you new to the board - welcome. The more the merrier.
There is a wealth of information on the board developed from our collective knowledge and speculation, including the insights of many judges who seem to fade into the woodwork around cert time (possibly to avoid flashbacks). You may just find the answer to your questions in prior threads which you can easily access using the search function or simply scrolling down through prior topics. You can "bump" an existing thread to the top by posting in it if you have a different issue or would like a more detailed reply - we try to help.
This is not meant as a criticism of new members, just a small tutorial on how to access topics that have been discussed before. A prior thread may provide an instant answer to your question(s).
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