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Post by funkyodar on Aug 27, 2015 8:05:13 GMT -5
So, this morning the ALJs of ODAR received an interesting soliciation email from HR. Seems there are a number of offices that have a scarcity of judges and have not had "sufficient eligible new ALJs selected to meet the respective service delivery needs."
Thus, the agency is offering relo benefits to any ALJ willing to transfer to one of these offices and commit to staying there two years. The offices are:
Charleston WV Fargo Fayetteville Fort Wayne Fresno Huntington Johnstown PA Middlesboro Minneapolis Mt Pleasant Paducah Ponce PR Rio Grand Valley (Halingen TX) San Juan PR Shreveport Sioux Falls Tupelo West Des Moines
So...what this means for you wannabes I dunno. On one hand, I would say if you have those cities on your GAL things may look good as they clearly are hurting for judges there. On the other, why do this before the September hire? Is it a signal that the hiring isnt going well or will be less than expected? Who knows...
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Post by ba on Aug 27, 2015 8:11:47 GMT -5
I am guessing the register is probably stale for these cities. However, if a prospective ALJ is really willing to go anywhere for this job, it might be wise to include these cities if/when a GAL expansion is available.
And, for those of you thinking you would love to go to Puerto Rico and learn Spanish while you are there, you need to be certified as bilingual to go there.
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Post by beenlurking on Aug 27, 2015 8:17:52 GMT -5
So, this morning the ALJs of ODAR received an interesting soliciation email from HR. Seems there are a number of offices that have a scarcity of judges and have not had "dufficient eligible new ALJs selected to meet the respective service delivery needs." Thus, the agency is offering relo benefits to any ALJ willing to transfer to one of these offices and commit to staying tehre two years. The offices are: Charleston WV Fargo Fayetteville Fort Wayne Fresno Huntington Johnstown PA Middlesboro Minneapolis Mt Pleasant Paducah Ponce PR Rio Grand Valley (Halingen TX) San Juan PR Shreveport Sioux Falls Tupelo West Des Moines So...what this means for you wannabes i dunno. On one hand, I would say if you have those cities on your GAL things may look good as they clearly are hurting for judges there. On the other, why do this before the September hire? Is it a signal that the hiring is going well or will be less than expected? Who knows... Interesting indeed. Did the letter give a time frame for interested ALJ's to respond?
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Post by redryder on Aug 27, 2015 8:17:51 GMT -5
My first impression is that ODAR is having some difficulty filing slots due to the candidates' restricted GALs and the agency's determination on the suitability of those left on the certs. If judges move to these offices, it frees up slots in offices where the agency may have viable candidates on the certificates they are getting from OPM. My prediction (which is worth less than 2 cents) is that hiring will continue to be at a slow pace until OPM refreshes the pool with new candidates.
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Post by phoenixrakkasan on Aug 27, 2015 8:21:31 GMT -5
It may be ODAR's way of preparing the battlefield to request GAL expansion from OPM. ODAR can share this email and the lack of responses. Fayetteville is not a bad location and there are many other good locations.
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Post by beenlurking on Aug 27, 2015 8:22:34 GMT -5
Never mind. The letter give two weeks from today for any ALJ's to respond.
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Post by prescient on Aug 27, 2015 8:25:39 GMT -5
My guess is that there is some balance that needs to be struck between office workload and endless new hire/transfer hamster wheel. An office is never going to make a dent in it's backlog if it's constantly hiring new judges who jump ship 90 days later. A 2 year commit would certainly help create some stability.
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 27, 2015 8:28:30 GMT -5
My guess is that there is some balance that needs to be struck between office workload and endless new hire/transfer hamster wheel. An office is never going to make a dent in it's backlog if it's constantly hiring new judges who jump ship 90 days later. A 2 year commit would certainly help create some stability. I do agree with that idea prescient. If things continue on as a never-ending turntable of ALJs arriving and leaving the backlog is never going to be handled in those listed cities. So, the fact the agency wants a 2 year commitment tells me that you are right on with your analysis here prescient.
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Post by zepplin on Aug 27, 2015 8:30:42 GMT -5
So. Those of us withering on the vine with these cities on our GAL can begin the process of accepting we were deemed unworthy? Or is it that they can't require a newbie to commit for 2 years? No. That's not a tear stain on my keyboard. I have something in my eye. : )
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Post by beenlurking on Aug 27, 2015 8:36:08 GMT -5
The letter doesn't state it "requires a commitment for 2 years' it states "we expect that all ALJs who are selected to fill these vacancies will remain in these locations for a two year period without requesting a transfer...."
I will commit to Tupelo for two years...just call me.
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Post by lizdarcy on Aug 27, 2015 8:48:08 GMT -5
My thought, when I first read it, was that they need people who are already trained to hit the ground running and stay awhile. If these offices need stability, that's a good way to do it. Better than assigning newbies who want to transfer. I don't think it reflects on the candidate pool. Now we will see if there are any takers.
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Post by redryder on Aug 27, 2015 8:50:06 GMT -5
The entire hiring process is a crapshoot. The candidate is trying to make the best impression based on the NOR, the interview, references, and work history (which is readily available for insiders). the agency is trying to select someone who will be a good judge, productive and fitting into the system. Based on what looks like very little information, both seek to establish a long-term relationship.
It makes one think of an arranged marriage. the parties may correspond, and meet once. More often than not, the marriage works. Some marriages are disasters. And some never get to the altar.
So yes, Zeppelin, in my post I was saying some who have been on certificates several times and interviewed but never got the offer, will not receive an offer. At least not from ODAR. That is the reality of this process. There are always more candidates than there are offers.
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Post by moopigsdad on Aug 27, 2015 8:53:17 GMT -5
My thought, when I first read it, was that they need people who are already trained to hit the ground running and stay awhile. If these offices need stability, that's a good way to do it. Better than assigning newbies who want to transfer. I don't think it reflects on the candidate pool. Now we will see if there are any takers. Quite frankly the pool of sitting ALJs who are willing to take up the offer is probably not any larger than the pool of candidates from the register left for most of those cities. Therefore, I do not expect a big rush to fill those cities by sitting ALJs.
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Post by westernalj on Aug 27, 2015 8:55:13 GMT -5
Once you accept a transfer, you can't get on any transfer list for two years. So this would provide more stability than a new hire.
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Post by beenlurking on Aug 27, 2015 8:55:17 GMT -5
I think Moopigsdad is spot on.
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sta
Full Member
Posts: 82
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Post by sta on Aug 27, 2015 8:58:51 GMT -5
So, this morning the ALJs of ODAR received an interesting soliciation email from HR. Seems there are a number of offices that have a scarcity of judges and have not had "dufficient eligible new ALJs selected to meet the respective service delivery needs." Thus, the agency is offering relo benefits to any ALJ willing to transfer to one of these offices and commit to staying tehre two years. The offices are: Charleston WV Fargo Fayetteville Fort Wayne Fresno Huntington Johnstown PA Middlesboro Minneapolis Mt Pleasant Paducah Ponce PR Rio Grand Valley (Halingen TX) San Juan PR Shreveport Sioux Falls Tupelo West Des Moines So...what this means for you wannabes i dunno. On one hand, I would say if you have those cities on your GAL things may look good as they clearly are hurting for judges there. On the other, why do this before the September hire? Is it a signal that the hiring is going well or will be less than expected? Who knows... Interesting indeed. Did the letter give a time frame for interested ALJ's to respond?
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sta
Full Member
Posts: 82
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Post by sta on Aug 27, 2015 9:10:21 GMT -5
Quote: "So, this morning the ALJs of ODAR received an interesting soliciation email from HR. Seems there are a number of offices that have a scarcity of judges and have not had "sufficient eligible new ALJs selected to meet the respective service delivery needs."
Thus, the agency is offering relo benefits to any ALJ willing to transfer to one of these offices and commit to staying there two years."
This is indeed interesting if "relo benefits" is defined to mean that the Agency will facilitate buying your house as a part of the relocation process. This benefit had been limited only to those who accept a HOCALJ position or accept a NHC position or who are federal employees hired for an ALJ position. Of course a long time ago, any ALJ transferred got the benefit, but that was many years ago.
Now that the real estate market is doing better, the significance of this benefit might not appreciated, but if you live in a city with a slow real estate market, you are not going to mind if your house is purchased based on three appraisals after you are unable to sell it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2015 9:44:24 GMT -5
It is interesting. In the six or so years since I was hired, they have never done anything like this before. I assume that means an extraordinary need of some kind.
Unfortunately, some offices have the reputation as way stations. The new ALJ's get hired, take the job, stay just long enough to get their transfer and move on. It clearly creates problems. Harlingen seems to have that rep, as does Tupelo. (Though I don't know why. Tupelo is a fine, small, town with excellent barbecue.)
Footing the relocation cost in order to ensure a seat is filled for at least two years is an interesting way to address the issue. That could get expensive. But, I'm not sure what else you could do to get people to take, and stay, in those locations. Recruit and hire more locals? Signing bonuses? Trade a step-increase for a commitment to stay x years?
I note that of the 18 cities on the list, 9 are in the Old South, 6 in the Mid-West (ish), 2 in Puerto Rico, and Fresno. Nothing on the East Coast, nothing in FL, only Fresno in the whole West. I'm sure there's an observation about fly-over country in here somewhere.
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Post by Gaidin on Aug 27, 2015 10:01:27 GMT -5
I find Minneapolis the most curious office listed. I don't recall it being on every register like Tupelo or Middlesboro? sealaw90 am I remembering correctly? I would say that the offer of relo benefits probably has a lot more to do with needing stability in the office and getting a guaranteed 2 years of a judge in that office. Zep I don't know that its time to start crying yet. Perhaps they just don't think you would stay for two winters in MtP?
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Post by sealaw90 on Aug 27, 2015 10:09:45 GMT -5
Is any current ALJ going to take advantage of this 'opportunity'? Would any or the wannabe ALJs add these cities if given the chance by OPM to expand their GAL? How many folks have already interviewed with ODAR with one of these cities on their GAL bit didn't get hired?
I feel a need for a poll Gaidan. Something else to obsess over while we wait for the next set of hires!
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