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Post by redryder on Mar 13, 2014 13:29:39 GMT -5
A question for those who work at home: Per the flexiplace agreements that have been in place for all employees, there is a provision regarding management's right to inspect the premises to insure that your ADS complies with the terms of the agreement. How do you propose this be done if your ADS is across the country? Before you answer, remember that this was negotiated by your unions. It does not matter if management ever did it or not. It has the inspection right and that has to be meaningful.
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Post by eyre44 on Mar 13, 2014 14:17:27 GMT -5
To be fair, the ALJs are not the only ones. Those of us on the lower hanging branches have been working under this telework/commuting provision for some time now. In our case, it makes even less sense because an AA or SA would never be asked/told to come in to cover another's work. I had no idea that they had been applying the 2 hour rule to the other employees. I've worked in offices where that wasn't the case. However, that may have changed since I was in those offices. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2014 11:19:49 GMT -5
New News on the Telework technical issues!
"I have some good news to share with you. We have completed a successful rollout of VPN access for telework for the ALJs in our National Hearing Centers. VPN (virtual private network) access allows a teleworker, using a laptop at the alternate duty station, to access the same systems that are accessible from his or her office workstation. Our NHC Judges report that using VPN is “almost the same as being in the office.”
We are now preparing a plan to begin in May 2014 to roll out voluntary VPN access to all ALJs with approved telework agreements. Over the next several weeks, we will be sharing more information with you about how and when to apply for VPN access. We’ll also be working with your HOSAs and ITSs to ensure that hearing office laptops are configured for VPN and Judges approved for VPN access are trained on how to use it."
Nice.
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Post by privateatty on Apr 4, 2014 11:57:55 GMT -5
Just received this from another Judge: CALJ Bice testified at the Senate hearing last month that when she was in the field she made goal. I decided to determine how she did it. See data below. She only made goal because as a HOCALJ she had 935 administrative dismissals over a two year period. She had the highest number of dismissals in Region 7 and was in the top 10 in the nation in 2009. Without the dismissals she would not have made goal at any time. She also said 60% of judges are making goal, yet the only full year she was HOCALJ(2010)she made goal, but only one other judge in an eleven judge office made goal. [Bice became a judge on June 22, 2008 but had no recorded dispositions in FY 2008. She became HOCALJ in Kansas City in mid-January 2009 and acting CALJ in early January 2011.] Based on the first three quarters of FY2012 HOCALJs make up 70% of the top 100 dismissers ranging from a high of 327 to 119 and a majority of the top 250 dismissers were HOCALJs! Last year (FY2011) only 27% of judges actually decided 500 or more cases a year. Goal=dismissal order=preparing as case for hearing, hearing it and then doing instructions to write it? I dunno, I understand that doing a HOCALJ's job is thankless work and that further that there are only 40 hours in a week, for as we all know there is no overtime for an ALJ. However, one cannot expect the Judges you ostensibly lead and counsel not to see what is going on. These are rather fundamental tenants of leadership, c'est pa? |
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Post by deltajudge on Apr 4, 2014 12:58:40 GMT -5
8-)Remarkable success story. Became an ALJ in 2008, HOCALJ soon after, acting CALJ in 2011, now CALJ. I was an ALJ for thirty years and never rose above that. Just a regular ALJ. How do you accomplish what she has?
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Post by bartleby on Apr 5, 2014 8:41:26 GMT -5
Well, if we are going to generalize, "and the other 10% don't care. To them it's all about them. I want this, I don't want to hear, staff is incompetent, writers can't write, chief judge is this and that, hocalj takes easy dismissals. I believe other 10% was a bad hire, or wrong fit w ssa." , let's try this, Those that are doing 50+ cases a month are not properly reviewing or developing the record as required by the Regulations, thereby not offering the claimants due process or a fair hearing. Wow, I never knew generalization could be so much fun.
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Post by jerseymom on Apr 5, 2014 9:53:11 GMT -5
Really Bart? You've been an ALJ for 2 or 3 years and you know better than the majority of judges who are meeting expectations, issuing legally sufficient decisions. These judges are NOT paying down the backlog-the pay rate has declined steadily while the agree rates from the AC and District Courts have steadily increased. If you can't issue 500 dispositions a year, talk to your HOCALJ, but don't insult the majority of ALJ's who do.
Northerner, I agree with you. This job at ODAR may not be the right fit for everyone.
Delta, sorry you didn't advance higher than a line judge in 30 years. Did you apply for a HOCALJ position? Were you willing to move? Travel extensively? The Chief's career success may seem meteoric if you don't mention her decades of Agency experience before becoming an ALJ. Let's not let the facts interfere with an argument we're trying to make.
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Post by hopefalj on Apr 5, 2014 10:27:44 GMT -5
Jeez, my dear, esteemed judges. Did the recent insider-outsider thread created by us hopefuls spark a competitive fire amongst you to prove you can rekindle your own tiresome debate for the 300th time?
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Post by deltajudge on Apr 5, 2014 11:33:55 GMT -5
8-)Ah jersey, just being cute, we all know how it works with HCALJs, RCALJs and CALJs but I think you unknowingly explained how Deb got it. No, I never applied and was never asked. I was a maverick for most of those 30 years and was for sure on nobody's brown nose list. Don't think Bart is on it either. I'll tell all of you for sure, you have been slapped with a quota for telework. The foot is in the door.
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Post by bartleby on Apr 5, 2014 12:55:09 GMT -5
IIRC, Debbi's prior experience before becoming an ALJ was with OGC and not with ODAR, so her prior experience was not a fast track management given. Every ALJ has outstanding credentials, some with much more successful management experience than Debbi.
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venus
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Post by venus on Apr 5, 2014 13:42:50 GMT -5
Well, if we are going to generalize, "and the other 10% don't care. To them it's all about them. I want this, I don't want to hear, staff is incompetent, writers can't write, chief judge is this and that, hocalj takes easy dismissals. I believe other 10% was a bad hire, or wrong fit w ssa." , let's try this, Those that are doing 50+ cases a month are not properly reviewing or developing the record as required by the Regulations, thereby not offering the claimants due process or a fair hearing. Wow, I never knew generalization could be so much fun. Bart, I think you are just being coy, you have been having fun with generalization for quite a while now. Feb 16, 2014 at 6:01am bartleby said: "CAC usually stands for a case assistance center like the national one in St. Louis. That would be a combination of a pulling and writing unit. CAC's don't conduct hearings." And the cases you get from them, both pulled and written are usually some of the worst. They have no investment in them as it is almost impossible to return them for correction. They have no relationship with the Judge, so they could care less. JMHO, as usual. Why would you get your knickers in a wad just because someone suggested that you don't care about the claimant or have a well developed work ethic? It is just someone's opinion after all... Delta, It is a shame that "Deb" earned a position that you never had the motivation or apparent inclination to even apply for. You and Bart are neither as clever nor as persuasive as you both seem to think you are. When you yell into an empty canyon, you will hear an echo. Don't mistake the sound you hear for applause or widespread acceptance of your views. Most often, it is just the natural result of you and Brother Bart, charter member of the 1st Self-Righteous Church of ODAR, yelling back and forth into the vast expanse that lies between each others' ears. |
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Post by JudgeRatty on Apr 5, 2014 13:46:59 GMT -5
IIRC, Debbi's prior experience before becoming an ALJ was with OGC and not with ODAR, so her prior experience was not a fast track management given. Every ALJ has outstanding credentials, some with much more successful management experience than Debbi. Aye yai yai. Every time ya'll say "Deb" or "Debbi" I cringe. I have hard time calling our CALJ by her first name. I enjoy hearing the opinions and such and maybe it is my military upbringing but something about using her first name rather than title or last name etc is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Just sayin... No ill will intended.  |
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Post by hopefalj on Apr 5, 2014 14:00:36 GMT -5
IIRC, Debbi's prior experience before becoming an ALJ was with OGC and not with ODAR, so her prior experience was not a fast track management given. Every ALJ has outstanding credentials, some with much more successful management experience than Debbi. Aye yai yai. Every time ya'll say "Deb" or "Debbi" I cringe. I have hard time calling our CALJ by her first name. I enjoy hearing the opinions and such and maybe it is my military upbringing but something about using her first name rather than title or last name etc is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Just sayin... No ill will intended. In bartleby's defense, judges call each other by their first names all the time. I'm not sure whether Judge Bice goes by Deb or Debbi, but if so, it's okay. If it's meant as a slight or something, then I agree with you. |
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Post by bartleby on Apr 5, 2014 14:01:57 GMT -5
Sratty, if you will review my past posts, you will see I always referred to her as Chief Judge, etc. However, all Judges received an e-mail from her this week that was signed, Debbi. If she prefers to be called Debbi, I will comply. All of my HOCALJs and RCALJs have instructed me to call them by their first name. I come from a strong military background also, but it appears that no one in this Agency gets treated with respect nor expects it. Oh, we don't salute either..
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Post by JudgeRatty on Apr 5, 2014 14:16:50 GMT -5
Sratty, if you will review my past posts, you will see I always referred to her as Chief Judge, etc. However, all Judges received an e-mail from her this week that was signed, Debbi. If she prefers to be called Debbi, I will comply. All of my HOCALJs and RCALJs have instructed me to call them by their first name. I come from a strong military background also, but it appears that no one in this Agency gets treated with respect nor expects it. Oh, we don't salute either.. Ok, that's cool. I apologize and I misunderstood. Point taken. I was not aware of the signature and I do understand in daily private settings first names are the norm. I took it out of context. |
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Post by JudgeRatty on Apr 5, 2014 14:26:47 GMT -5
Sratty, if you will review my past posts, you will see I always referred to her as Chief Judge, etc. However, all Judges received an e-mail from her this week that was signed, Debbi. If she prefers to be called Debbi, I will comply. All of my HOCALJs and RCALJs have instructed me to call them by their first name. I come from a strong military background also, but it appears that no one in this Agency gets treated with respect nor expects it. Oh, we don't salute either.. Bart, please accept this as a token of my appreciation and sincere apology for my misunderstanding. kittybloger.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/cute-kittens-20-great-pictures/ |
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Post by jerseymom on Apr 5, 2014 14:54:40 GMT -5
I was always taught that you should not address someone by their first name unless asked to do so. Some members have referred to Judge Bice by her first name have come off sounding snarky or disrespectful (some may even say condescending or sexist).
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Post by luckylady2 on Apr 5, 2014 14:57:20 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm always in favor of more versus less respect for everyone, even Chief Judges!  |
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Post by funkyodar on Apr 5, 2014 15:03:24 GMT -5
Really Bart? You've been an ALJ for 2 or 3 years and you know better than the majority of judges who are meeting expectations, issuing legally sufficient decisions. These judges are NOT paying down the backlog-the pay rate has declined steadily while the agree rates from the AC and District Courts have steadily increased. If you can't issue 500 dispositions a year, talk to your HOCALJ, but don't insult the majority of ALJ's who do. Northerner, I agree with you. This job at ODAR may not be the right fit for everyone. Delta, sorry you didn't advance higher than a line judge in 30 years. Did you apply for a HOCALJ position? Were you willing to move? Travel extensively? The Chief's career success may seem meteoric if you don't mention her decades of Agency experience before becoming an ALJ. Let's not let the facts interfere with an argument we're trying to make. Wait wait wait. JM, surely you aren't implying that someone that made alj from the position of a career agency insider and without that all important litigation experience not only succeeded at the job, but had what it took to rise to the tip top? Surely not. How could that be? She must have been an NCO that led 500 soldiers? Sat as a criminal court judge and had the power to put anyone in jail whenever they wanted? Worked 70 hour weeks as a criminal defense attorney? No? I just don't see how that can be........ |
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Post by JudgeRatty on Apr 5, 2014 15:07:38 GMT -5
Really Bart? You've been an ALJ for 2 or 3 years and you know better than the majority of judges who are meeting expectations, issuing legally sufficient decisions. These judges are NOT paying down the backlog-the pay rate has declined steadily while the agree rates from the AC and District Courts have steadily increased. If you can't issue 500 dispositions a year, talk to your HOCALJ, but don't insult the majority of ALJ's who do. Northerner, I agree with you. This job at ODAR may not be the right fit for everyone. Delta, sorry you didn't advance higher than a line judge in 30 years. Did you apply for a HOCALJ position? Were you willing to move? Travel extensively? The Chief's career success may seem meteoric if you don't mention her decades of Agency experience before becoming an ALJ. Let's not let the facts interfere with an argument we're trying to make. Wait wait wait. JM, surely you aren't implying that someone that made alj from the position of a career agency insider and without that all important litigation experience not only succeeded at the job, but had what it took to rise to the tip top? Surely not. How could that be? She must have been an NCO that led 500 soldiers? Sat as a criminal court judge and had the power to put anyone in jail whenever they wanted? Worked 70 hour weeks as a criminal defense attorney? No? I just don't see how that can be........ Don't be chumming from trolls....they will bite! LOL! And heck, they don't even need to be fed they just appear! LOL! Oh Funky, I love your sarcasm. |
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