Where will the new ALJs go?

[odarite]

I note this topic is being discussed in the Scores thread, but that thread already has plenty going on, so I am splitting off here.

OCJ announced this past summer that they did not intend to place any of the 150 new ALJs for this fiscal year in Regions 1, 9 or 10. In fact, the bulk of the hiring would be in 4, 5 and I think 7 because those regions have the highest pending per ALJ. Now it is possible that this will change when the certificate is requested, but I wouldn't count on it. Remember, 150 new ALJs will not bring the ALJ corps up to its full size which I believe is 1250. There are less than 1100 ALJs now and of course continuing retirements. Thus saying they will limit the placements only means filling the worst needs first.

[deadwood]

Region 6 is supposedly receiving quite a few new ALJs to fill the vacancies in LA caused by Katrina.

[odarite]

Try this instead which has all the details powerties's map (which is completely accurate) lacks: www.ssa.gov/appeals/ho_locator.html#map

[odarite]

kimmy said:

Obviously there are states that may be an exception to the worst "regional average pending per ALJ." There is a link to an article under this chart dated 8/07

www2.ljworld.com/photos/2007/aug/01/129169/

That chart is meaningless, as is one that gives a raw number of pending cases per hearing office. A hearing office with 8,000 pending cases may be horribly backlogged (6 ALJs) or in pretty good shape (12 aljs).

[jagghagg]

Spoke with an ALJ friend of mine who runs location in a Region who told me that the RUMORS they have heard are as follows:

SSA intends to pick up 75 this first go-around.
The interviews will probably in Falls Church, VA.
Class will likely be either in Dallas or Falls Church.

Also said that SSA is, generally, "shocked" by the scores, and had expected those internal to SSA to have been the top scorers.

Ah'm jes' sayin'.....

[cincinnatus]

Even as we speak, the beans are being reallocated from a gigantic backlog in Region 7, site of a previous backlog debacle/embarrassment, to a Region 9 Office with too many judges and consequently not enough pending. One must then ask: are the beans being moved so a chosen few can be assigned to requested Region 9 sites? are the beans being shifted since the present Region 7 RCALJ has been picked to move to Region 8? are the beans being moved from Region 7 to Region 9 so chosen few can go to Region 7 as desired? is it possible there is no conspiracy or latent motive but merely "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing"?

[jagghagg]

peejay said:

jagghagg,

Did your contact know a start date for the first training session?

Didn't ask. Doubt they do.

[odarite]

cincinnatus said:

Even as we speak, the beans are being reallocated from a gigantic backlog in Region 7, site of a previous backlog debacle/embarrassment, to a Region 9 Office with too many judges and consequently not enough pending. One must then ask: are the beans being moved so a chosen few can be assigned to requested Region 9 sites? are the beans being shifted since the present Region 7 RCALJ has been picked to move to Region 8? are the beans being moved from Region 7 to Region 9 so chosen few can go to Region 7 as desired? is it possible there is no conspiracy or latent motive but merely "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing"?

I vote for "none of the above" - the beans are not being moved only from Region 7 to Region 9. I predict it will have nothing to do with where new ALJs are sent because even by moving the beans from high bean to insufficient bean offices, there will still be huge vats of chili to be made while filling all the vacant offices in the designated regions (4, 5 & 7)

[jagghagg]

"Beans, beans...the musical fruit....the more you....."

Gotta tell ya, 3orangewhips, the person I spoke to is probably coming to be part of the interviews. Always has seemed to know that about which s/he speaks. Hasn't be wrong in all the time I've known them.

[jagghagg]

powerties said:

I remain curious what sorts of experience the master rating book instructs graders to value or weight with a premium, and what experience finds no mention, and thus little value or weight in the rating process.

My "source" tells me litigation/trial work because they are looking for people who can handle a courtroom. I'm VERY lucky that my own score will likely get me an interview - (although I am still at work so I don't know if I got a call today from Medicare like some others) - and my experience shows many years of trial work. So maybe my source has been proven correct in this regard.