Do we know when...?

[zero]

The Office of Pain and Misery (OPM)* will open the books and let non-selectees and the general public try again?

*I'm just kidding, I really mean "the Office of Perfection and Mastery".

[tricia]

Zero, think of it this way. Let's say that there are 450 people now on the register. 150 are now being hired. That leaves 300. We have recently heard that they are hiring 25 in the fall. That leaves 275. Even if they hire 100 in 2009, that still leaves 175.
Then won't they be caught up on hiring ALJs? So wouldn't they only have to hire 25 or so every year to keep caught up?
Today Pixie and Odarite pointed out that OPM isn't rushing to do more testing and interviewing becuase it costs them a lot of money.
So couldn't the answer to your question be almost never?

[counselor95]

Tricia: "So wouldn't they only have to hire 25 or so every year to keep caught up?"

FWIW: I read a report on staffing for various Federal government agencies (well, I actually read only the SSA part), which said the average age of current SSA ALJs is 60, and attrition the last two fiscal years (I think FYs 2004-2005 and 2005-2006) was about 50 each year.

[doctorwho]

Zero, the truth is we don't know. As I posted somewhere else on the board, if they want to have an impact for 2009, they need to do it pretty quickly. But, there are a host of variables at work. In short, we'll know, if and when they do it.

[cybear]

doctorwho said:

Zero, the truth is we don't know. As I posted somewhere else on the board, if they want to have an impact for 2009, they need to do it pretty quickly. But, there are a host of variables at work. In short, we'll know, if and when they do it.

Charles Hall reported this today:

"The President's recommended budget for FY 2009 is out. It shows the Social Security's administrative budget being $10.386 billion, which is $596 million over the current fiscal year, a 6.05% increase. However, unlike the current fiscal year, $504 million is allocated for "program intergity", which means making sure that all the money being paid is being paid properly, rather than making sure that everyone who should be paid is being paid. Certainly, money will be spent in this fiscal year on "program integrity", but there is no requirement that a certain amount be spent on program integrity and it is unlikely to be anywhere near $504 million. Basically,the President's recommended budget appears to me to be close to a budget freeze. I doubt that there is any money in this budget for significant increased hiring.

Michael Astrue has issued his recommended budget for FY 2009 and it is little different from the President's. He asks for $10.529 billion, which is $143 million or 1.4% more. I don't think this would allow for much hiring either.

Basically, in terms of service, both the President and the Commissioner would like to hold things about where they are or, maybe, let the situation deteriorate a bit further.

But the President's budget proposal and Astrue's are both pretty much dead on arrival, so don't get too excited."

[mrjones]

zero, my bet is this May, so they can get their business done before the end of the political year and also nullify the appeal work. as for costs, it can't cost that much for what little they actually do. Unlike SSA, they don't call any references and the interview is just for form. the application grading should be the most deliberate and time intensive part but they did that in 2 months.