ALJ FAQ Part 1 - Intro & Hiring Process

[ALJD]

Well, here's Part 1 of the FAQ for Newbies. Hopefully we'll be able to continue to flesh it out. To keep this thread clean for reading, I will be deleting suggestions, additions, and comments once reviewed and maybe implemented. Folks with useful additions/ideas (i.e. please answer some of the questions? ) will be added to the contributor list. Thanks!

ALJ Discussion Board FAQ - 7/10/2018

Table of Content

Part 1 - Intro & Hiring Process
Part 2 - Training & Benefits
Part 3 - ODAR Background & Glossary

How does one use the forum search feature?

Go here.

Hiring Process

What does an ALJ do?

See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_law_judge

So you wanna be an ALJ, huh?

See Presidental Executive Order establishing ALJs as new Excepted Service employees on 7/10/2018.

Is OPM testing still relevant

No, see OPM Announcement.

What do I do now?

Wait for individual agency announcements on how they want to hire ALJs. We are as shocked as you are by this new change. No one really knows what happens from here on out other than the old ALJ hiring rules are all obsolete now.

[Prrple]

I suggest an amendment to the answer about whether OPM testing is still relevant.

The results of OPM testing are being used as a limit on the pool of eligible candidates for hiring of ALJs by SSA in that one must have received a score from OPM to be eligible to apply for the job announcement in April, 2019.

Other agencies that have released job announcements for ALJ positions since July 10, 2018 have not limited eligibility in this way.

Edit Note by Pixie: I think this too will work its way through the process and into oblivion, unless Congress has more to say about it. Pixie