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Post by bartleby on Jan 12, 2015 11:28:10 GMT -5
No, but my kitties have been known to take a nip out of me when I am enjoying my recliner instead of feeding them. They are a ruthless crew and now there are eight... And I do give better advice to those pandering to the kitties.
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Post by gary on Jan 12, 2015 11:36:48 GMT -5
I took one of my cats to his cardiologist this morning. Does that earn me any Bart Bucks?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2015 12:01:23 GMT -5
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Post by bartleby on Jan 12, 2015 12:17:05 GMT -5
My guide is: The Anatomy Coloring Book (4th Edition)Paperback. Or you can get the Dummies Guide to Anatomy and Physiology. Or you can get the one with the diagrams that are pictures of dissected human cadavers. I like to coloring book as it gives me something to do. The kitties eat my crayons and hide my Sharpies, so my studies are behind. The kitties prefer the one with the real pictures of cadavers, especially the chest wall showing the ribs... They tell me that they are more evolved than I am.. Maybe, I am working and they are sitting on their pretty tails..
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Post by carrickfergus on Jan 12, 2015 13:05:55 GMT -5
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Post by gary on Jan 12, 2015 14:40:17 GMT -5
I'm headed over to the tattoo parlor to prepare for the first day at work: What are you going to add to the existing tattoo?
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Post by bartleby on Jan 12, 2015 14:53:21 GMT -5
The Honorable Get-R-Dun, a real Agency man, pushing numbers...
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Post by sealaw90 on Jan 12, 2015 15:44:44 GMT -5
I've had very mixed results with assigned mentors over my career. Typically, the mentors who were formally assigned and had mentoring included in their job descriptions were horrible. "Mentoring" was another box to check off the list and the mentors could have cared less about my personal progress. The best mentors have always been informal ones with whom I struck up a casual friendship that led to asking for advice. Hope the ODAR mentoring process turns out differently. Count me in on the same experience with mandatory v. informal mentors. It's akin to mandatory office parties, never much fun, are they?
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Post by hamster on Jan 12, 2015 17:28:28 GMT -5
I'm going to be mentoring a new ALJ as of 1/26. Boy, did they luck out.
Although I wonder if he/she believed me when I told 'em that it's customary to give your mentor a fifth of Glenlivet 18 year old scotch the first week, and something equally as appetizing each week thereafter until one returns from training.
The person is a NODAR, so maybe they're gullible. I'll mention the 10% of their salary thing, too, for the first year, but I'll wait to break that news in person.
Best, Hamster
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Post by gary on Jan 12, 2015 17:40:50 GMT -5
In northern climes I'll bet the tradition includes the mentee clearing the snow off the mentor's car and warming it up.
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Post by dudeabides on Jan 12, 2015 18:48:48 GMT -5
Mentos: Mentors and Mentees should always bond by enjoying a pack of Mentos together. If that fails, put the Mentos into a jug of 7UP and wait for the explosion.
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Post by ALJD on Jan 12, 2015 20:53:49 GMT -5
The time prior to your report date should, IMHO, be devoted to family (especially if about to leave them) and closing up a practice, changing jobs etc. You will have ample time to study in the three weeks you are basically useless to your office. Then you will have very in depth, intensive training for four solid weeks that will enlighten the ouitsiders and bore the insiders. Then you will have a great mentor and staff that ease you into the pool. Trust me, there is no reason to worry about any of it till you report. I agree with Funky here. ODAR provides excellent training in a structured environment for new ALJs and there will be sufficient time for you to get up to speed after you start. There is no need to do any additional studying before your reporting date. Time is the most precious commodity we have. Don't waste it on unnecessary prep work. Go spend some time with your family and do what you need to take care of loose ends before you report for duty.
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Post by Youngblood Priest on Jan 29, 2016 12:30:24 GMT -5
I am a complete outsider with no background whatever in Social Security law or practice. (Admin law sí, Social Security no.) Do any of you insiders have a recommendation (something along the lines of Gilbert's or a Nutshell) to give me an overview of the law before attending training in April? At nearly $400, Social Security Disability Practice is probably overkill. I'd like to get a big-picture overview before drilling down into the details. I'm facing a huge learning curve and had better get started sooner rather than later ... Will be grateful for any and all recommendations. In you situation, I would suggest as follows. 1. Do NOT plunge into the rules, regs and especially do NOT pay out money for third party videos and books. You are completely wasting time and money. (99.9999% of what you will pay to third parties for SSA info for is already available on line for free. Those info manuals are invariably nothing more than regurgitations of free information and most importantly are the author's view of SSA "how to do" claims, not the SSA itself. See step 4 below.) 2. DO find a local, experienced SSA attorney representative of good standing. Explain your situation and ask if you can attend some of his hearings as an observer. You will not take written notes. You will observe only. You will not talk. You will need the rep's, the claimant's and the ALJ's permission. Most everyone I know would be agreeable to such training observation. DO as many of those as possible. After the hearings you can discuss with the rep "how to do" hearings. 3. DO read federal court appeals of SSA claims. They are online, free. Federal court appeal decisions inavariably do a very good job of explaining the 5 step process of a SSA claim and what are common errors and corrections; in other words "how to" present a claim. They also routinely hyperlink to applicable rules and regs. That makes the rules and regs more understandable. Do not take notes and try to construct a practice manual from these decisions. Just kick back and read them, there are 1000's for all jurisdictions. If you do not understand one, just move on to another. You will eventually see the patterns develop for each step. 4. Anything you do not know now will be taught to you, in minute detail, on the job and in intensive training and in the correct manner by the SSA. 5. Relax, you are not alone. I am a SSA outsider who was on the last cert. list. Although I have sat as a judicial officer on numerous occasions as a judge pro tem, I wanted to observe as many SSA hearings as I could so I would know better what is expected of an ALJ. So I attempted to observe a hearing (as described in no. 2, bolded above) recently. My friendly neighborhood SSA practitioner, who is well-respected, got the okay from her client, and then asked one of her favorite SSA ALJ judge if it would be okay for "her attorney friend" (me) to observe. He told her that this was not permitted by regulations. The ALJ said the test is whether or not the other person in the room would be helpful to the adjudication of the case. An observer with no interest in the case apparently would not fall under this rule. Before I ask my colleague to try again with another judge, is that ALJ correct, or just gun shy about doing something improper? Was there a change in the regulations that now prevents attorneys from observing if they are not representatives? Or is this type of observation permissible under that or another regulation that my colleague might cite to the next ALJ? Thank you very much for your collective thoughts!
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Post by msp on Jan 29, 2016 12:46:14 GMT -5
If you're a member of your local bar association - even if you're not - you may be able to get your hands on some resources from your local county law library. Once updated publications arrive, many libraries give the previous year's handbooks away for free.
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Post by gary on Jan 29, 2016 12:52:38 GMT -5
In you situation, I would suggest as follows. 1. Do NOT plunge into the rules, regs and especially do NOT pay out money for third party videos and books. You are completely wasting time and money. (99.9999% of what you will pay to third parties for SSA info for is already available on line for free. Those info manuals are invariably nothing more than regurgitations of free information and most importantly are the author's view of SSA "how to do" claims, not the SSA itself. See step 4 below.) 2. DO find a local, experienced SSA attorney representative of good standing. Explain your situation and ask if you can attend some of his hearings as an observer. You will not take written notes. You will observe only. You will not talk. You will need the rep's, the claimant's and the ALJ's permission. Most everyone I know would be agreeable to such training observation. DO as many of those as possible. After the hearings you can discuss with the rep "how to do" hearings. 3. DO read federal court appeals of SSA claims. They are online, free. Federal court appeal decisions inavariably do a very good job of explaining the 5 step process of a SSA claim and what are common errors and corrections; in other words "how to" present a claim. They also routinely hyperlink to applicable rules and regs. That makes the rules and regs more understandable. Do not take notes and try to construct a practice manual from these decisions. Just kick back and read them, there are 1000's for all jurisdictions. If you do not understand one, just move on to another. You will eventually see the patterns develop for each step. 4. Anything you do not know now will be taught to you, in minute detail, on the job and in intensive training and in the correct manner by the SSA. 5. Relax, you are not alone. I am a SSA outsider who was on the last cert. list. Although I have sat as a judicial officer on numerous occasions as a judge pro tem, I wanted to observe as many SSA hearings as I could so I would know better what is expected of an ALJ. So I attempted to observe a hearing (as described in no. 2, bolded above) recently. My friendly neighborhood SSA practitioner, who is well-respected, got the okay from her client, and then asked one of her favorite SSA ALJ judge if it would be okay for "her attorney friend" (me) to observe. He told her that this was not permitted by regulations. The ALJ said the test is whether or not the other person in the room would be helpful to the adjudication of the case. An observer with no interest in the case apparently would not fall under this rule. Before I ask my colleague to try again with another judge, is that ALJ correct, or just gun shy about doing something improper? Was there a change in the regulations that now prevents attorneys from observing if they are not representatives? Or is this type of observation permissible under that or another regulation that my colleague might cite to the next ALJ? Thank you very much for your collective thoughts! I think the ALJ got it right. 20 CFR 404.944 provides, inter alia: "A hearing is open to the parties and to other persons the administrative law judge considers necessary and proper." I think you could be proper, but I don't see how you would be necessary.
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Post by Youngblood Priest on Jan 29, 2016 13:34:10 GMT -5
I agree, but by that logic even new judicial staff and clerks would not be able to observe a hearing for training purposes.
There must be some internal policy that allows (with the consent of the claimant) for approval of observation of an SSA hearing by persons who might be prospectively helpful in future hearings, either as court staff or as a prospective ALJ.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2016 13:41:12 GMT -5
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Post by Pixie on Jan 29, 2016 13:43:05 GMT -5
I agree, but by that logic even new judicial staff and clerks would not be able to observe a hearing for training purposes. There must be some internal policy that allows (with the consent of the claimant) for approval of observation of an SSA hearing by persons who might be prospectively helpful in future hearings, either as court staff or as a prospective ALJ. We allow it routinely if the claimant agrees. Don't know what the problem with this judge was. Pix.
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Post by mamaru on Jan 29, 2016 14:11:22 GMT -5
Hearing offices differ, but some do not allow observers, such as wannabe ALJs. As lawyers we would expect that a waiver on the part of the claimant would be sufficient, but the Agency can be zealous in protection of PII. Many decision writers with years of experience have never been afforded the opportunity to observe a hearing under the theory that, until you are assigned to write a case, the writer should not have access to PII.
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Post by valkyrie on Jan 29, 2016 14:36:22 GMT -5
I would not bother with a study guide. The best thing you can do is to use your people skills to locate the competent/sane people in your office. Once you have located these individuals, ask if you can observe them as they process a case, pre-hearing, post-hearing, holding a hearing. Return to them frequently for illumination, wisdom, advice, and fun anecdotes. These individuals can quickly and efficiently help you to learn the law, the medicine, and where the two intersect. More importantly, these people can help you to learn the providers and reps in your locality. The Agency training will teach you the five step disability determination process, but very little else. During the actual training do not expect fun, excitement, or any useful advice on how to be an SSA ALJ (well other than the ethics presentation). The vast majority of people take about two years to find their stride, regardless of what they did between their offer and training.
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