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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2015 16:14:04 GMT -5
I just read an email that indicated that OPM will be opeining up the current register to: "permit a larger group of the preliminarily qualified candidates from the first administration of the current examination to move forward to the Proctored and In-Person components, i.e. WD, LBMT and SI of the ALJ examination. This testing will occur this summer and fall 2015."
Sounds like great news for anyone who made it past Phase I with a higher score! It was from OPM/ ALJ section.
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Post by ba on May 15, 2015 16:22:44 GMT -5
Does that mean GALs will be opening too?
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2015 16:23:01 GMT -5
Subject: ALJ Examination Dear Chief ALJ/Designee- As you know, I recently requested updated hiring projections from you for fiscal years 15 - 17. Based on your responses, which reflected a notable increase in the number of anticipated ALJ hires, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has decided to permit a larger group of the preliminarily qualified candidates from the first administration of the current examination to move forward to the Proctored and In-Person Components (i.e. Written Demonstration (WD) and Logic-Based Measurement Test (LBMT), and the Structured Interview (SI)) of the ALJ examination. This testing will occur this summer and fall, 2015. Like the candidates already on the register, this group will continue to be required to meet passing scores for these components in order to be placed on the ALJ register. To carry out the assessments for this additional group and other applicants from the appeal process, we are once again asking…. (the email then goes on to talk about needing ALJs to assist in this new round of examination)
It's signed by the Program Manager of the ALJ Program at OPM, so it sounds like the register is too small for the immediated needs of the various departments.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2015 16:28:55 GMT -5
Excuse the spelling/grammar errors; I am tired after a long day of hearings and not checking my typing close enough. Tiger
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Post by gary on May 15, 2015 16:29:14 GMT -5
It sounds like OPM will be setting a lower score for the online component to qualify for the DC phase. If this is true, it:
1. Would benefit some of those who already took the online component of the testing; and
2. Would moot some of the pending appeals.
By itself it would not benefit those screened out prior to the online testing. It also would not benefit the people who did not test last time out but would like to at the next opportunity.
Unknown from tiger's report is whether OPM would allow those on the register to expand their GALs.
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Post by JudgeRatty on May 15, 2015 16:30:17 GMT -5
Does that mean GALs will be opening too? It does not say anything about being able to expand GALs at all. This is good news for those who passed the first phase but were cut before getting the chance to interview and do the proctored testing. If the testing and interviews happen this summer/fall, that should take about 6 months from the testing to the release of the NORs if it is along the same timeline as the last time, and then however long from there to first cert notices. I imagine at the earliest, those who are successful would be on the register in about December 2015/ January 2016 if they start in June, and just add 6 months from there if later than June. Good luck to all!
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Post by gary on May 15, 2015 16:31:07 GMT -5
Thanks for the great intel tiger.
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Post by JudgeRatty on May 15, 2015 16:31:57 GMT -5
Thanks @tigerlaw for posting!
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Post by JudgeRatty on May 15, 2015 16:39:34 GMT -5
This is an interesting way of doing things... it will alleviate some appeals and add to the register. And the cost of starting completely over is not there... they just shift the lowest cut off from the first round so additional people can get on the bus. Good move.
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Post by gary on May 15, 2015 16:51:44 GMT -5
The Job Announcement those of us on the Register applied under stated:
"Once this ALJ Job Opportunity Announcement closes, you will not be able to change (i.e., add or remove) your selected geographical location(s) until the next ALJ Job Opportunity Announcement open period. OPM may announce additional periods during which candidates already on the register may make changes, at OPM's discretion."
What OPM is going to do will not require a "Job Opportunity Announcement open period," since they will just be taking people who already applied and sending them further in the process. I think that means OPM will not be required to allow GAL changes, but could do so at its discretion.
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Post by keepsake on May 15, 2015 17:17:50 GMT -5
Not to give false hope to those who got axed on the first round, but as presented by Tiger, the email does say:
To carry out the assessments for this additional group and other applicants from the appeal process,
That indicates to me that they might be adjudicating first phase appeals as well and passing those folks on too. Otherwise, what does OPM mean by the reference to "other applicants from the appeal process"? IMHO, it would be fundamentailly unfair to expand the opportunity to move on for some set of other people and not address what are arguably the simplest types of appeals, i.e., the first stagers.
We'll see, but they are clearly going to lower the bar for passage to the various stages that were scored to get more folks into the SI; otherwise, no need to solicit ALJ SI participation.
Good luck to all. Movement of some sort is certainly in the air.
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Post by alrifle on May 15, 2015 17:26:24 GMT -5
If I understand correctly, this means that those without qualifying online scores are now given the opportunity to leap frog those with qualifying online scores. If I am reading this wrong, someone please correct me.
I post as one waiting (patiently) for an appeal of an insufficient WD score.
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Post by bartleby on May 15, 2015 17:46:46 GMT -5
Unfortunately I don't think so as it states, "preliminary qualified", although it does mention other applicants from the appeal process. As usual, anyone's guess is as good and usually better than mine.
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Post by JudgeRatty on May 15, 2015 18:03:40 GMT -5
If I understand correctly, this means that those without qualifying online scores are now given the opportunity to leap frog those with qualifying online scores. If I am reading this wrong, someone please correct me. I post as one waiting (patiently) for an appeal of an insufficient WD score. I do not think there is any leap frogging here. Each component has to be processed and passed to move on to the next step. This is merely lowering the bar for those who did not pass that first round due to whatever cut off they chose. Now, those people will still have to go on to the next phase and PASS that phase. So no one is jumping over anyone here. Maybe I misunderstand your set of facts, if so, please elaborate.
Now, if someone who was not qualified, and who is now qualified due to a change in the pool/ score they set, and they move on to take the SI, LBMT, and written demonstration ... and they nail it, getting a high score because they do so well on that portion... then yes, they would end up "leap frogging" over those with lessor total NORs.
Keep in mind those who get on the register through this process will not be on the register until 2016 at the earliest. There will be at least 3 more classes this fiscal. That's another 150 who may be in before new people are added. And don't forget, nothing happens exactly as planned, and this may take even longer and even more who are on this register will get in before more people are added.
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Post by floss on May 15, 2015 18:15:07 GMT -5
I know that logic has never been the government's strength, but wouldn't the most logical thing to do would be to allow those of us who have over 2 years in this process to add to our GAL. I am an outsider, and did not know the importance of a wide GAL. I could certainly go to more locations than the 6 I currently have.
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Post by ba on May 15, 2015 18:51:08 GMT -5
I know that logic has never been the government's strength, but wouldn't the most logical thing to do would be to allow those of us who have over 2 years in this process to add to our GAL. I am an outsider, and did not know the importance of a wide GAL. I could certainly go to more locations than the 6 I currently have. Preach on brother. Preach on.
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Post by mikeinthehills on May 15, 2015 18:52:35 GMT -5
I’ve just seen this thread. I haven’t had any time to really think it through yet, but I have a few preliminary comments. First, we saw this (or something like it) coming. The whole “How Big is the Register” thread was concerned with the shrinking pool of eligible candidates on certs and what that meant going forward. The email Tiger posted addresses the issue, at least in part. There may be more coming, such as allowing expanded GAL’s or deciding pending appeals. We’ll see.
Second, the decision to permit lower scorers on the SJT to move on to the WD/LBMT/SI component shouldn’t be taken as a threat to those on the register. Our NOR’s were scored, and a component of that score was our score on the SJT. The people moving on with lower SJT scores will have that factored into their NOR if they get past phase 3.
Third, as much as I would like OPM to allow us all on the register to reset our GAL’s, this new action doesn’t require that. The people who will move on to the WD/LBMT/SI will do so with the GAL they originally selected. They are gaining no advantage by moving on at this point.
Finally, as Sratty said, SSA will hire at least 150 from the existing register before any of these new hopefuls make the register. So, good luck to those who will benefit from OPM's latest move. To those already on the register, you're already way ahead ....
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Post by JudgeRatty on May 15, 2015 18:59:02 GMT -5
I know that logic has never been the government's strength, but wouldn't the most logical thing to do would be to allow those of us who have over 2 years in this process to add to our GAL. I am an outsider, and did not know the importance of a wide GAL. I could certainly go to more locations than the 6 I currently have. This is an interesting point that I think needs more speculation and WAGs.
For personal reasons, I oppose this because I did the research in advance and chose to have a wide open GAL since I knew it would be the best way to get on board. No ill will intended here, but it didn't take much of an internet search to find this board and to read all the posts and figure this out. Sorry if that is offensive.
BUT....
I think at some point they must have considered this option. After all, I am sure they considered many options before coming to the decision they did. Perhaps one reason is that (and oh heaven help me for opening this can or worms) more insiders knew to have a wide open GAL and the smaller GALs are predominately those with outside experience. IF they wanted more insiders (they meaning the biggest customer SSA but yes I know that OPM is the one who is running this gig), they would not allow an expansion of the GAL at this point. They would try and scoop up more insiders by lowering the threshold at the level that knocked them out--the level that required some actual litigation experience rather than purely administrative experience.
OR perhaps the GAL expansion is not totally out. After all, none of this is in play yet and the rules may change as they go along.
OR perhaps they decided that a mere GAL expansion would not yield the number needed to add to the register. Maybe they have learned that those who have small GALs made that determination for reasons that have not changed and although some have changed circumstances, it was not enough to yield the numbers they really need. Perhaps a poll is in order here Gaidin.
There are simply too many variables for us to know what the underlying reasons are, but rest assured, those in the know must have their reasons and they have likely discussed all of this at great length before making this determination.
Have faith people! Those who ARE on the register at this point should be feeling really good right about now, knowing that the powers that be feel the register will be exhausted. And before someone with super negative thoughts jumps in and says yeah, but what if they have already decided to cut a whole bunch and strike people.... well, that may be. But until you get that information for SURE... you are not out.
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Post by floss on May 15, 2015 19:02:29 GMT -5
I think that to allow others into this process without first allowing those of us who made it this far to add to our GAL is grossly unfair. We all made it to the register on the "first try." So to now add to the register by giving others a second bite at the apple is unfair. I realize that they may still allow GALs to the added to, but I think that those of us who have this much invested deserve at least to add to our list of cities.
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Post by floss on May 15, 2015 19:06:59 GMT -5
So are you saying that 60 percent of the board is stupid because they didn't list more cities. I guess I'm in good company.
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