|
|
Post by chinook on Feb 24, 2010 9:34:21 GMT -5
karaj, I won't need extra wine in the few months ahead. My view is I am either going to be an ALJ or I am not. This does not control my life, I have a good job, I am saving for retirement, I drink good wine, I have a life outside this process. The anxiety level I see in some folks here amazes me. There is more important stuff in the world than becoming an ALJ. Do your best but don't let it eat at you. Understand, you can't control the process and if you are not selected it is no reflection on you. Good Luck to everybody!!
|
|
|
|
Post by valkyrie on Feb 24, 2010 10:30:03 GMT -5
How does everybody feel about St. Louis?
The National Hearing Center vacancy announcement for St Louis has been extended to exisiting ALJs again. Looks like there may be more than a few openings in St. Louis...
|
|
|
|
Post by Propmaster on Feb 24, 2010 10:52:01 GMT -5
How does everybody feel about St. Louis? The National Hearing Center vacancy announcement for St Louis has been extended to exisiting ALJs again. Looks like there may be more than a few openings in St. Louis... I am a fan of St. Louis. It's big enough for sufficient cultural and artistic opportunities for free time, has two major league sports teams, is centered (roughly) in the country, but it is small enough to feel familiar with it (if that's your thing). It has a problem or neighborhood balkanization, which rarely matters, except the NHC is located in an area in which you would probably not want to live, and traffic patterns are fairly reliably tangled (although, I understand from "big city" folks that we don't understand traffic in St. Louis because it's never really that bad). The city itself (it is not in the surrounding county) is trying to stem a decades long decline in population, business interests, and property values. Some areas are vibrant and growing; others remain ... tentative. If you don't live in a vibrant area, you'll end up in St. Louis County, which is nice, but is organized into a variety of municipalities that are often pointlessly fighting each other on "development." There are some fabulous school districts, and other dismal ones, so if you have kids and want public school, do your homework. The cost of living is reasonable, depending, again, on the area in which you settle. I would love to be appointed to that city, in other words; but I would also like to be appointed to Des Moines, and would not relish New York, if that tells you anything. Did this address your question sufficiently? If not, ask a follow up. |
|
|
|
Post by valkyrie on Feb 24, 2010 10:56:31 GMT -5
Wow, I appreciate all of the info on St. Louis, but I'm not interested in applying. I posted because it appears that none of the ALJs are interested, and therefore our current participants in the Journey of a Million Miles may see these slots on their GAL.
|
|
|
|
Post by Propmaster on Feb 24, 2010 10:59:24 GMT -5
Wow, I appreciate all of the info on St. Louis, but I'm not interested in applying. I posted because it appears that none of the ALJs are interested, and therefore our current participants in the Journey of a Million Miles may see these slots on their GAL. While I have also heard that transfer requests are not forthcoming, does this vary from other NHCs? I thought it was the job, not the city. Also, I thought NHCs could not get new appointments directly, since they are "management" (discussion covered elsewhere, please don't rehash this issue in this thread, everyone), and new appointments could only be to line positions. Is this not true? Because then twelve slots in St. Louis GREATLY interests me.  |
|
|
|
Post by maxlaw on Feb 24, 2010 11:23:32 GMT -5
Also, I thought NHCs could not get new appointments directly, since they are "management" (discussion covered elsewhere, please don't rehash this issue in this thread, everyone), and new appointments could only be to line positions. Is this not true? Because then twelve slots in St. Louis GREATLY interests me. [threadjack mode] Didn't SSA lose the arbitration over that tactic? Are the NHC ALJs still designated as management? [/threadjack mode] |
|
|
|
Post by valkyrie on Feb 24, 2010 12:02:39 GMT -5
Also, I thought NHCs could not get new appointments directly, since they are "management" (discussion covered elsewhere, please don't rehash this issue in this thread, everyone), and new appointments could only be to line positions. Is this not true? Because then twelve slots in St. Louis GREATLY interests me. [threadjack mode] Didn't SSA lose the arbitration over that tactic? Are the NHC ALJs still designated as management? [/threadjack mode] In the end it probably doesn't matter. If they can't get existing ALJs to transfer, how else are they going to fill NHC slots? |
|
|
|
Post by ssaer on Feb 24, 2010 13:56:55 GMT -5
Also, I thought NHCs could not get new appointments directly, since they are "management" (discussion covered elsewhere, please don't rehash this issue in this thread, everyone), and new appointments could only be to line positions. Is this not true? Because then twelve slots in St. Louis GREATLY interests me. [threadjack mode] Didn't SSA lose the arbitration over that tactic? Are the NHC ALJs still designated as management? [/threadjack mode] In the past, a small number of new SSA ALJs have requested, and been assigned initially to, National Hearing Centers. SSA management has appealed the arbitrator's decision regarding the status of NHC ALJs. No decision has yet been issued on that appeal. |
|
|
|
Post by backtoeden on Feb 24, 2010 14:07:42 GMT -5
Sorry I missed the first round of reporting yesterday. I was so sick I did not get out of bed let alone look at the computer.
I can report that I have "complete" next to the Accomplishment Record with a date of 2/22/10.
|
|
|
|
Post by McLovin' on Feb 24, 2010 15:58:28 GMT -5
karaj, I won't need extra wine in the few months ahead. My view is I am either going to be an ALJ or I am not. This does not control my life, I have a good job, I am saving for retirement, I drink good wine, I have a life outside this process. The anxiety level I see in some folks here amazes me. There is more important stuff in the world than becoming an ALJ. Do your best but don't let it eat at you. Understand, you can't control the process and if you are not selected it is no reflection on you. Good Luck to everybody!! I agree that there is not a ton of rhyme and reason to the process. As far as anxiety, for me sometimes it is just a matter of wanting to know whether I will be making travel arrangements, arranging coverage at my law office, etc. That and I just do not drink enough good wine. I don't "know my wines" but I have thought of taking a class. |
|
|
|
Post by deminimis on Feb 24, 2010 16:40:22 GMT -5
Last time the applicants went through this process, the change in Application Manager status was first noted on September 25, 2008, a Thursday. The first-cut notices began going out on Tuesday, September 29th. FYI.
|
|
mle06
Full Member
Posts: 32 
|
Post by mle06 on Feb 24, 2010 16:59:15 GMT -5
Last time the applicants went through this process, the change in Application Manager status was first noted on September 25, 2008, a Thursday. The first-cut notices began going out on Tuesday, September 29th. FYI. Deminimis, Hate to choke on details, but wouldn't the 29th have fallen on Monday, if the changes in Application Manager were noted on Thursday September 25th? Sorry, not trying to "pick" here, but we are all pretty much hanging on every detail, hoping and waiting for any "signs." Thanks for sharing the information! |
|
|
|
Post by Propmaster on Feb 24, 2010 17:03:23 GMT -5
Last time the applicants went through this process, the change in Application Manager status was first noted on September 25, 2008, a Thursday. The first-cut notices began going out on Tuesday, September 29th. FYI. Deminimis, Hate to choke on details, but wouldn't the 29th have fallen on Monday, if the changes in Application Manager were noted on Thursday September 25th? Sorry, not trying to "pick" here, but we are all pretty much hanging on every detail, hoping and waiting for any "signs." Thanks for sharing the information! You're forgetting that 2008 was a leap year, with an added September 26.5th. |
|
|
|
Post by 24kgoldengirl on Feb 24, 2010 17:05:22 GMT -5
 I am swiftly moving into panic mode. Help!!! I went through this process in 2007. Naively, I had a very limited list of locations. Any how, I amended that in the last round to go anywhere on the continent. I also so submitted a completely new application packaging my recent accomplishments in a "better light". My application manager says - "you will be contacted". Well, what does that really mean? They contacted me to tell me that they have my expanded list a long time ago. They also said that my new application substitutes for my old app. Suppose the whole thing is screwed up and they neglect to schedule me for a new written and oral competency test? What would be my recourse?
|
|
|
|
Post by deminimis on Feb 24, 2010 17:13:06 GMT -5
Last time the applicants went through this process, the change in Application Manager status was first noted on September 25, 2008, a Thursday. The first-cut notices began going out on Tuesday, September 29th. FYI. Deminimis, Hate to choke on details, but wouldn't the 29th have fallen on Monday, if the changes in Application Manager were noted on Thursday September 25th? Sorry, not trying to "pick" here, but we are all pretty much hanging on every detail, hoping and waiting for any "signs." Thanks for sharing the information! The funny thing about that is I used my computer calendar to go back and check the dates. Looked right at Monday, Sept. 29th, and wrote Tuesday. I don't think any of us want to be the first to receive notice, by the way. According to some of the comments from Sept. 2008, the first notices were for the technical denials. |
|
|
|
Post by privateatty on Feb 24, 2010 17:28:58 GMT -5
I am swiftly moving into panic mode. Help!!! I went through this process in 2007. Naively, I had a very limited list of locations. Any how, I amended that in the last round to go anywhere on the continent. I also so submitted a completely new application packaging my recent accomplishments in a "better light". My application manager says - "you will be contacted". Well, what does that really mean? They contacted me to tell me that they have my expanded list a long time ago. They also said that my new application substitutes for my old app. Suppose the whole thing is screwed up and they neglect to schedule me for a new written and oral competency test? What would be my recourse? I would wait until this Board posts that folks are getting invited to the dances (WD, SI) and if nothing, email them. OPM loves email, phone not so much. Keep us posted, gg. |
|
mle06
Full Member
Posts: 32
|
Post by mle06 on Feb 24, 2010 17:58:07 GMT -5
[\quote] I would wait until this Board posts that folks are getting invited to the dances (WD, SI) and if nothing, email them. OPM loves email, phone not so much. [/quote]
Could you share the correct OPM e-mail address, just for future reference?
|
|
|
|
Post by southeastalj on Feb 24, 2010 18:54:29 GMT -5
Wow, I appreciate all of the info on St. Louis, but I'm not interested in applying. I posted because it appears that none of the ALJs are interested, and therefore our current participants in the Journey of a Million Miles may see these slots on their GAL. I get a little chuckle every time I see the "re-solicitation" for the St. Louis NHC. To answer someone else's query as to whether this was typical of the other NHC's the answer is no. However, that has a lot to do with where those NHC's are. Falls Church, Chicago and Albequerque are all very popular cities for ALJ's to transfer to so many were willing to "deal with" the quirks of working in an NHC and being outside the CBA for a chance to get to those locations. Baltimore NHC was less popular but also opened much smaller than it seems the St Louis NHC is planned to open with. I think I can state categorically that if the agency began direct hiring into NHC slots the union would go to a scorched earth policy . such a move by the agency would make the "clear anti-union" bias found by the arbitrator in the original NHC decision look like childs play and I do not see how the administration would tolerate such a move in the current climate of "cooperation" all agencies are supposed to engage in with the unions. |
|
|
|
Post by justruling on Feb 25, 2010 9:10:47 GMT -5
My application status package still says awaiting results, even those my accomplishment record says complete...for whatever that may mean. My application package also still says awaiting results although the accomplishment record says complete. I am a little nervous about that due to the previous discussion about the specificity of the bar admission date. I reread my application for the first time two days ago and I definitely did not put the full date of my admission to the bar. Hmmmmm. Fortunately it's not driving me to drink any more than normal. A nice red wine (I'm not too picky) is good for most occasions stressful or celebratory. |
|
|
|
Post by afgirl on Feb 25, 2010 9:55:25 GMT -5
My the accomplishment record says complete as of 2/22/10 but the application package says awaiting results.
Drinking more with an invite or noninvite? I'm not sure. Is it crazy to admit that I'm not sure I really want the job?
|
|
I am swiftly moving into panic mode. Help!!! I went through this process in 2007. Naively, I had a very limited list of locations. Any how, I amended that in the last round to go anywhere on the continent. I also so submitted a completely new application packaging my recent accomplishments in a "better light". My application manager says - "you will be contacted". Well, what does that really mean? They contacted me to tell me that they have my expanded list a long time ago. They also said that my new application substitutes for my old app. Suppose the whole thing is screwed up and they neglect to schedule me for a new written and oral competency test? What would be my recourse?