ALJ Interviews are being scheduled

[southerner]

crazybroad said:

Got the call finally. Interview Friday 1/25 at 11am. Whew! Sato offered me a car? Are they crazy? I don't want to have find my way around DC and into VA. No thank you! I said.

I think someone else posted re car rental, also. They offered to me but highly unlikely ODAR would reimburse and taxi just easier. I put my SSA credit card back in my wallet after retrieving from home and will substitute it for hotel. No TAN yet, but will telephone OCALJ tomorrow to make sure I do not lose my reservation.

[nightowl]

This is nerve racking. I keep checking for messages on four different phones, and yet no phone call. I selected all geographical locations and people above and below my middle of the road score have received calls. I'm beginning to wonder if they have the correct telephone number for me. Please let me know when I should panic (LOL)!

[counselor95]

stallerscott said:

This is nerve racking. I keep checking for messages on four different phones, and yet no phone call. I selected all geographical locations and people above and below my middle of the road score have received calls. I'm beginning to wonder if they have the correct telephone number for me. Please let me know when I should panic (LOL)!

Take heart! I was not called until Saturday & returned the call Sunday, and was scheduled for the middle of the second week. So those making the calls have a lot of folks yet to contact!

[snowman]

stallerscott said:

This is nerve racking. I keep checking for messages on four different phones, and yet no phone call. I selected all geographical locations and people above and below my middle of the road score have received calls. I'm beginning to wonder if they have the correct telephone number for me. Please let me know when I should panic (LOL)!

So much to panic about and so little time. I am still wondering when I will receive the authorization number required to finalize my travel plans with SATO I was called on Dec. 10. I was told I would be called back "in a few days" with the authorization number. I called her back in four days and left a message of inquiry about the number. Still nada. Does anyone know why some people's authorization numbers were available and others' were not? Is it based upon region of the country?

[Pixie]

stallerscott said:

This is nerve racking. I keep checking for messages on four different phones, and yet no phone call. I selected all geographical locations and people above and below my middle of the road score have received calls. I'm beginning to wonder if they have the correct telephone number for me. Please let me know when I should panic (LOL)!

I think Thursday about 3:00 pm EST would be a good time to go into partial panic mode. At that time, not yet being in full panic mode, you would have enough presence of mind to pick up the telephone and call someone in ODAR personnel (perhaps one of the members here would give you the current phone number and a contact name) to see what is going on.

Normally I would say wait until next week, but the beltway will shut down next week for Christmas. So, you still have almost two full days before you begin to worry. Chill, it will work out. Pix.

[nightowl]

Thank you Pixie and all of the others who responded with your words of encouragement. It is very heartening to know that others have the same feelings. Hopefully, I will get a call tomorrow.

[tdtksbp]

I actually got my call on Monday, but did not have a chance to post it yet. I am scheduled for January 25 at 9:00 am. I too am still waiting on my authorization number for SATO.

In response to Pixie's suggestion, the lady who spoke to me was Rosa Cantrell and her direct number is [phone]. She is very nice and I am sure she would help someone find out why they had not been called if she can.

[nyctourist]

My first post -

No call yet!

I have this horrible feeling that the calls are being made by OPM ranking, and as ODAR gets to bottom of list (my score 55.69 even though 12 years ODAR attorney), they will realize OPM made a horrible mistake and I should not have made cert!

Now I"ll just go back to eating (see distraction board)

NYC

[jazz]

Not to worry nyctourist. They are NOT going by scores.

[carjack]

Hey, I availed myself of tdtksbp's offer of Rosa Cantrell's phone number and called her and left a voice mail. She just called me back, got my file, and I'm set for Jan 29 at 11. What a relief! She was not PO'd that I'd called, she just mentioned that everyone was working on getting things set up. Thanks tdtksbp!

[lawdog98]

As a long time lurker and first time poster I too found the folks at Falls Church to be very helpful.

Question: was anyone told that hotel/motel would be reimbursed only if SATO cannot fly us in and out in the same day?

[Pixie]

lawdog98 said:

As a long time lurker and first time poster I too found the folks at Falls Church to be very helpful.

Question: was anyone told that hotel/motel would be reimbursed only if SATO cannot fly us in and out in the same day?

That is the normal practice. Pix.

[lawdog98]

Thanks Pix! You are a Godsend to all of us. ;D

I plan on coming in the day before and staying over on my own dime, just to be fresh rather than getting up at 4 am to make my flight. Plus, where I live the weather will mess everything up in a heartbeat. Others may want to consider this too. No reason to arrive more stressed than we already will be.

[jazz]

Working from home today and just checked voice mail at the office. My call came! I returned the call and left a message to reach me on my cell.

[potato]

I got my call today at about Noon, MDT, from SSA. My interview is set for Jan 29 at 9 a.m. I got the impression from the caller that she is working her way through a list. I called SATO to make airline reservations - the woman I talked to was very helpful and friendly.

[secondchance]

I gotta tell ya, I was giving up hope when my cell phone rang today @ 2:30 p.m. EST.

Pixie was right (like we ever doubted!) and they ARE calling everyone, even me.

I will be at Falls Church @ 9:00 a.m. on January 30th - if you're there then, too, make the secret sign so I recognize you!

This is a great board and we'd all make a great group of ALJs!

[texasatty]

Got the call at 12:15 pm. Initially scheduled for interview on 1/29. I was so excited I forgot about an oral argument scheduled about that time. After I hung up, I checked my schedule and discovered I have to be in New Orleans on 1/30 at 9:00 am. Called Tammie back, left message about my dilemma. Within an hour Tammie called back and graciously reset interview to 1/28.

I called SATO immediately and scheduled flight and hotel. Tammie indicated the hotel allowance was $150. Unfortunately, the SATO agent couldn't find any hotels in Falls Church for less than $200 Oh well, I'll have to eat the difference. The SATO agent was unfamiliar with the location of the ODAR Office and with the "nearby" hotels. If you're yet to make your travel arrangenments, you may want to survey hotels near the ODAR Office before you book it. The SATO agent did her search by zip code, so I didn't know how close my hotel was until I booked everything and looked on map quest. I'm a cab ride away. Tammie didn't have the Travel Authorization #, so my travel arrangements are still tentative, until I forward the TA to SATO.

A strange thing happened with the SATO agent. Although I explained I was an ALJ candidate who would be paying for the travel privately and submitting a voucher to SSA for reimbursement, the SATO agent required me to put the flight on my government credit card. I work for another government agency. However, my hotel we booked with my personal credit card. Go figure.

The calls are still going out. Good luck to all. I'll report back within the rules.

[carjack]

I made my own hotel reservation on line through Hilton for the Doubletree Crystal City/Arlington, with tax for $110 a night, which is less than either the Hampton Inn or Homewood Suites. It's fairly close as well. I thought maybe it was being renov'd but according to the site, the reno was completed in '06.

[aaa]

I thought the allowance in Alexandria/DC right now was as follows?

Effective 10/01/07
Expiration 12/31/49
Currency U.S. Dollar
Rate Amounts
Lodging 201.00
M & IE 64.00

Seasonal Rate
Start 10/01
End 06/30
Name N/A
M & IE Breakouts
Breakfast 12.00
Lunch 18.00
Dinner 31.00
Incidental 3.00

[nightowl]

I received my phone call today at approximately 2 P.M. from Sylvia. She was very nice and simply went through the prepared statement step by step. My interview is scheduled for January 25 at 4 P.M.