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Post by marten77 on Aug 21, 2015 13:01:41 GMT -5
Ok, so none of the judges in my office engage in telework. But I understand it is available for ODAR ALJs, no? If so, how does that work with scheduling hearings and keeping up with case review, putting together decisional instructions, etc., etc.? Can you do 3 days of telework as an ALJ? And again, if so, how does that square up with scheduling hearings? Or do you not get those days off on the weeks that are hearing weeks?
I'm probably counting my chickens waaaayyyy before hatched, but if I were to make it through all of this, I would like to keep my daycare bill from rivaling my mortgage payment (which is still less than my student loan payment). Just curious about the logistics of it all, I guess. Any input is appreciated.
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Post by Pixie on Aug 21, 2015 13:11:13 GMT -5
About two days a week, but one must have been a judge for, I believe, one year before eligibility attaches.
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Post by february on Aug 21, 2015 13:12:16 GMT -5
I'll let others respond with specifics about the telework policy, but I'm confused by your reference to wanting to reduce your daycare bill. Teleworking is just like working at the office, except you're physically at home. You can't do work and at the same time care for kids who are young enough to still be in daycare. You will need to have someone else doing childcare whether you're working in the office or working at home.
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Post by marten77 on Aug 21, 2015 13:24:53 GMT -5
I'll let others respond with specifics about the telework policy, but I'm confused by your reference to wanting to reduce your daycare bill. Teleworking is just like working at the office, except you're physically at home. You can't do work and at the same time care for kids who are young enough to still be in daycare. You will need to have someone else doing childcare whether you're working in the office or working at home. I'm not looking to reduce my daycare bill as much as I'm trying to avoid increasing it. My kids are school age, but not old enough to be left home alone after school until I can get home. If I can do 6:30 to 3 from home, then I can go get them right after without having to arrange transportation to daycare plus staying at daycare until I get done. Just not sure how it all works with hearing weeks.
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Post by redryder on Aug 21, 2015 13:44:19 GMT -5
There is no one answer to your question. The scheduling of hearings depends largely on how the hearing rooms are utilized. In my office, the judges try to hold 2 dockets for every 4 weeks. During the weeks with hearings, the judge will hold hearings for 4 to 5 days, all day. Most finish the last hearing between 3:30 and 4:30 PM. I have heard of the configuration where 2 judges are assigned to a hearing room and split the days with one holding hearings in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Then the judges were holding hearings daily several days each week. Then there are the offices where there are remote sites. If the hearings have to held live (because the claimant requests it or there is not an available room in the office to do video hearings), a judge may be gone from home for the entire week. One of our remote sites is 3+ hours away. If the hearings are live, the judge stays there.
If you are having questions about childcare now, you may want to give these concerns some serious thought about how they will be resolved. If you are selected and relocate, ywill you may be able to address these issues? I can tell you that this is not a problem for which you will get any sympathy from ODAR or any other agency. When you accept the ALJ position, the assumption is that you will have a plan and this will not interfere with your job.
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Post by Propmaster on Aug 21, 2015 13:51:09 GMT -5
I think the key is that you are in exactly the same situation as if you were in the office, barring equipment failures (in the event of which you will have to go to the office or take leave, asuming the ALJ contract is like the others). You can access the server, contact the office staff, be contacted by them, read e-mail, update the computer system live, prepare instructions, Edit decisions, review files (primarily electronic ones at the alternative duty station), etc. However you have your hearing schedule set up on a regular basis, you will be able to fit whatever days of telework are available to you within that regular schedule, with exceptions if you need to have critical hearings, mandatory meetings, mandatory trainings, etc.
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Post by Propmaster on Aug 21, 2015 13:56:03 GMT -5
I'll let others respond with specifics about the telework policy, but I'm confused by your reference to wanting to reduce your daycare bill. Teleworking is just like working at the office, except you're physically at home. You can't do work and at the same time care for kids who are young enough to still be in daycare. You will need to have someone else doing childcare whether you're working in the office or working at home. I'm not looking to reduce my daycare bill as much as I'm trying to avoid increasing it. My kids are school age, but not old enough to be left home alone after school until I can get home. If I can do 6:30 to 3 from home, then I can go get them right after without having to arrange transportation to daycare plus staying at daycare until I get done. Just not sure how it all works with hearing weeks. This was a good time to learn to be careful about phrasing. My first reaction was the same as february's. Implying (even accidentally) that you will watch your children, or even tolerate interruptions from them, while at your alternative duty station is a great way to have your use of telework scrutinized like a ... like ... I can't think of an acceptable metaphor here, but like something that people extremely closely scrutinize with an eye to destroying it. More nefarious than hounds on the scent of a fox, more maleficent than exterminators tracking a termite colony ... hmmmm
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Post by gary on Aug 21, 2015 14:02:10 GMT -5
On "Take Your Kid to Work Day," can you let them see the den?
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Post by marten77 on Aug 21, 2015 14:59:17 GMT -5
I'm not looking to reduce my daycare bill as much as I'm trying to avoid increasing it. My kids are school age, but not old enough to be left home alone after school until I can get home. If I can do 6:30 to 3 from home, then I can go get them right after without having to arrange transportation to daycare plus staying at daycare until I get done. Just not sure how it all works with hearing weeks. This was a good time to learn to be careful about phrasing. My first reaction was the same as february's. Implying (even accidentally) that you will watch your children, or even tolerate interruptions from them, while at your alternative duty station is a great way to have your use of telework scrutinized like a ... like ... I can't think of an acceptable metaphor here, but like something that people extremely closely scrutinize with an eye to destroying it. More nefarious than hounds on the scent of a fox, more maleficent than exterminators tracking a termite colony ... hmmmm Point well taken.
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Post by marten77 on Aug 21, 2015 15:05:46 GMT -5
There is no one answer to your question. The scheduling of hearings depends largely on how the hearing rooms are utilized. In my office, the judges try to hold 2 dockets for every 4 weeks. During the weeks with hearings, the judge will hold hearings for 4 to 5 days, all day. Most finish the last hearing between 3:30 and 4:30 PM. I have heard of the configuration where 2 judges are assigned to a hearing room and split the days with one holding hearings in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Then the judges were holding hearings daily several days each week. Then there are the offices where there are remote sites. If the hearings have to held live (because the claimant requests it or there is not an available room in the office to do video hearings), a judge may be gone from home for the entire week. One of our remote sites is 3+ hours away. If the hearings are live, the judge stays there. If you are having questions about childcare now, you may want to give these concerns some serious thought about how they will be resolved. If you are selected and relocate, ywill you may be able to address these issues? I can tell you that this is not a problem for which you will get any sympathy from ODAR or any other agency. When you accept the ALJ position, the assumption is that you will have a plan and this will not interfere with your job. It's not so much that I have questions or concerns about it now. If it comes to pass, I will be able to work something out. As stated in the OP, I'm likely counting my chickens way too soon. But since I have nothing but time to dwell on the what if's and what could be's until OPM sends their email, these are the things that cross my mind. Probably best that I not get too carried away with such thoughts until it really matters.
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 21, 2015 15:31:01 GMT -5
I'll let others respond with specifics about the telework policy, but I'm confused by your reference to wanting to reduce your daycare bill. Teleworking is just like working at the office, except you're physically at home. You can't do work and at the same time care for kids who are young enough to still be in daycare. You will need to have someone else doing childcare whether you're working in the office or working at home. I'm not looking to reduce my daycare bill as much as I'm trying to avoid increasing it. My kids are school age, but not old enough to be left home alone after school until I can get home. If I can do 6:30 to 3 from home, then I can go get them right after without having to arrange transportation to daycare plus staying at daycare until I get done. Just not sure how it all works with hearing weeks. Marten I must state if you cannot afford your daycare bill on an ALJs salary you should look for another line of work. I am not trying to be flippant or cruel, but I am stating the obvious. If you can survive now with daycare, why can't you on an ALJs salary? Once again, if not enough money for you, then seriously consider another occupation that pays more. Take the position seriously and be prepared to devote your working hours toward doing it correctly. Sorry my answer seems harsh, it isn't meant to be, but it is the reality of the position as an ALJ.
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Post by marten77 on Aug 21, 2015 15:54:09 GMT -5
I'm not looking to reduce my daycare bill as much as I'm trying to avoid increasing it. My kids are school age, but not old enough to be left home alone after school until I can get home. If I can do 6:30 to 3 from home, then I can go get them right after without having to arrange transportation to daycare plus staying at daycare until I get done. Just not sure how it all works with hearing weeks. Marten I must state if you cannot afford your daycare bill on an ALJs salary you should look for another line of work. I am not trying to be flippant or cruel, but I am stating the obvious. If you can survive now with daycare, why can't you on an ALJs salary? Once again, if not enough money for you, then seriously consider another occupation that pays more. Take the position seriously and be prepared to devote your working hours toward doing it correctly. Sorry my answer seems harsh, it isn't meant to be, but it is the reality of the position as an ALJ. Please re-read the earlier posts. I did not say I could not afford the bill. I am comfortable and surviving now even without an ALJ's salary. I do take the ALJ position very seriously and currently devote all of my working time to doing my current job correctly. That would not change should I make it to being an ALJ. As I noted in one of my earlier posts, the questions I have were mostly related to the rambling jumble of thoughts coursing through the back of my mind as I wait for OPM's next email.
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 21, 2015 16:09:15 GMT -5
marten77 I am very sorry for taking your post the wrong way. I guess I just read it the wrong way. I am sure you are indeed a dedicated worker at any job you perform.
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Post by hopefalj on Aug 21, 2015 16:36:39 GMT -5
About two days a week, but one must have been a judge for, I believe, one year before eligibility attaches. Yes on the one year part, but isn't there discretion to allow up to ten days per month? Or has that changed without my knowledge? Some (all?) offices want you six month schedule ahead of telework. So if you're good with planning out the next half year of your life, that won't be a problem. If you're not, that could be problematic. In my office, the judges have pretty much set their hearing days, so you know what days you'd be working at home and what days you won't. However, you have to check school calendars and such to see when you might want to take a long family vacation. And we're all still anxiously awaiting the outcome of the challenge to the 50 scheduled hearings per month for telework eligibility. That doesn't fully kick in for a while, but it'll be interesting to see if that has any teeth.
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osage
New Member
Posts: 5
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Post by osage on Aug 22, 2015 7:22:21 GMT -5
Telework is governed by Article 15 of the contract . It was a provision that was implemented by SSA without the approval of the ALJs who are members of the union. To date the provisions have been strictly enforced and I urge all employees who are interested in working at home to read the provision carefully as management has used it as a sword to counsel and discipline too many currently sitting ALJs.
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Post by lizdarcy on Aug 22, 2015 8:46:27 GMT -5
I am neither defending nor supporting the union. However, union members vote to ratify cbas when they are negotiated. Having been involved in contract negotiations for many years, I can tell you that both parties rarely get exactly what they want. If this cba provision was the result of an interim negotiation, you can vote it down at the next ratification vote. Or you can run for union office. I read the contract provision about telework. The arbitration should result in an interesting award.
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 22, 2015 8:53:20 GMT -5
Telework is nice, but at times it leads to too many distractions. It is better to be in the office and have less distractions many times. Whether at home or at the office you still have to get the work done. So, it is a nice perk, but it isn't the be all and end all.
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Post by christina on Aug 22, 2015 9:04:50 GMT -5
marten, i did not read all above comments so some may be repeat. i believe judges get 8 days a month, they get some flexibility in picking those 8 days so they can pick them around the hearing days. they work out the telework days with the hocajl. i think rules are tighter now with the newer ALJ contract(but new contract also bumped them up to 8 days) but there is still some flexibility. most of the non-hearing work should be able to be done at telework esp now that we have VPN. i believe there is no telework the first year so yikes on that part and daycare.... i also think and could be wrong but think judges are supposed to schedule 50 hearings a month. i know judges who successfully telework so it can be done. pm me if you want to talk more or post more questions on here. i can ask more specific questions to teleworking judges if you want. and get in touch with bart too. i am pretty sure he teleworks.
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Post by funkyodar on Aug 22, 2015 9:11:01 GMT -5
The contract is more than a little in flux. There are articles that have been ratified. Some that have been enacted by an impasse panel. Some that have not been in acted or ratified that the agency has decided to enforce nonetheless given there is no agreed to alternative. Still, this job comes with just about the best benefits package out there. You will be hard pressed to find any other job in the legal community with as much flexibility, respect for home life and tangible retirement and insurance value.
I'm particularly pleased with my job today. As I type this, I am spending my last day as an ALJ 3/A. Tomorrow I am a 3B. With the attendant pay bump. Definitely helps with the sting of that massive ALPO list awaiting me on Monday.
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Post by christina on Aug 22, 2015 9:16:45 GMT -5
oh yeah, funky nice, and congrats, it's been a year!!!!
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