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Post by moopigsdad on Jun 25, 2015 11:29:59 GMT -5
Thanks for the information bobharris. It is sincerely appreciated.
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Post by Snowbird on Jun 25, 2015 11:48:37 GMT -5
And ask your mentor or HOCALJ if your early cases can be assigned to an experienced decision writer. A good decision writer will help you stay legally sufficient while you are still new.
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Post by hopefalj on Jun 25, 2015 16:07:35 GMT -5
Sorry to hear that. I had a much different experience. It's odd that they just scheduled your hearings without your input on times, days, or numbers of hearings.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Jun 25, 2015 16:37:12 GMT -5
And they CAN change the schedule as this would be a bonafide reason to reassign cases to other ALJs. Just sayin...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2015 17:11:12 GMT -5
E I was in the May 8 graduating class. Our mentoring guide provided the following ramp-up schedule for hearings: 15-20 hearings for the 1st month of Phase Three 20-25 hearings for the 2nd month of Phase Three 25-30 hearings for the 3rd month of Phase Three 30-35 hearings for the 4th month of Phase Three 35-40 hearings for the 5th month of Phase Three 40-45 hearings for the 6th month of Phase Three Without asking, the schedulers at my office automatically scheduled me for the MAXIMUM number of hearings each month for the first four months. I was not able to reduce the schedules. I was NODAR and can tell you that 20 hearings the first month seemed like Mount Everest. Unless you are prior ODAR or feeling very confident, my recommendation would be to contact the scheduling staff at your new office and ask that you be set for no more than the MINIMUM number of hearings each month during the ramp-up period. It will give you some breathing room and you will be grateful. I would agree 100% as a fellow NODAR, but the truth holds for insiders too, the ramp up time is desiged for many, many reasons, not just hearing cases a certain number of cases each month. You will want to experment with different ways of hearing cases, reviewing cases, learning and mastering various programs to include eBB. eBB will be your best friend as a NODAR. Almost a year later and it feels great completing my decision instructions and hitting the "Complete Instructions" and not getting any RED error messages. That means, hopefully, you have issued a legal sufficient decision for the writers to draft as eBB forces you to do just that or get use to RED error messages. But remember, you are the Judge and you are a Judge on the day before you step into your office on that Monday. The first important thing that happens is the Chief swearing you in as the Judge (but they do it again at the end of training in a more fromal setting, but it is just for show as it is dated the Sunday before you walked into your new office on that first Monday. Nobody should be deciding your schedule except you with the help of your Mentor. And I would consider Sratty's advice, it can be changed if the scheduler was acting with NO input from you or your Mentor. But Bill Murray wouldn't sweat it, so rock on with your bad self . IMHO, Tiger
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2015 17:24:26 GMT -5
Respectfully disagree with this. As far as the schedulers at my new hearing office (Mount Pleasant) hooking me up with the maximum, that did not happen. Was given the freedom to do how I saw fit, which was much appreciated. If you can handle it, handle it. Everyone knows what their limitations are. I can't imagine calling up a new workplace and demanding (suggesting, insisting, asking, whatever) to be assigned no more than the minimum amount of work. Reasonable minds will differ. DD, understand what you are saying, but it's not "much appreciated", it's required that you and only you determines your schedule (again with input from your mentor and the confines of the HO's other judges). I think that was the main point of Bobharris post. This is not a "new workplace", you have just been appointed for life (upon good behavior) a federal job that most people think is one of the best jobs in federal service (I'm not on that train yet, but I'm not hopping off anywhere else either....maybe Tiger 2016!!). We serve the ALJ corps better by embracing the demands of this job, but also, demanding that the office of United States Administrative Law Judge (OGC loves the longer version of that title) be respected as the APA requires. And the staff scheduling your cases as they feel like it without your permission diminishes the office that we all hold. Now, I will step down off my soap box and/or high horse and go eat something as I have had hearings all day and getting grumpy with my belly empty. No insults or digs intented, just IMHO tiger.
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Post by ok1956 on Jun 25, 2015 18:30:35 GMT -5
I have a little different take I guess. I actually had my hearings scheduled to start a week early (there was a debate on the wording used in the mentor guide), which was confirmed today during staff meeting and a discussion about our new judge starting on Monday. And my days were scheduled without consulting with me (although I would guess my mentor, who is also our HOCALJ was consulted). And I was scheduled at the high end. It's not a big deal. I have Monday/Wednesday hearings (or I will starting next week), which means if I don't transfer home before our "one year anniversary" I will plan to telework on Thursdays and Fridays. And between Monday holidays and people withdrawing, dying (only one) or otherwise dropping off my docket, I'm glad to have some cases to spare. My big warning would be don't believe the "all you will see are back issues and depression" you'll hear at training. :-) Perhaps it's because the vast majority of our hearings are by video (another state(s)) but just finding live hearings has been a challenge for our scheduler (and I know she's worried about having enough for our new judge) and I have learned all about a variety of little known and very technical impairments - learning how to decipher hearing tests, eye tests, etc. But I love the job and, I guess lucky for me, I'm a Type A so the hectic schedule doesn't bother me all that much (except when I spend a seemingly inordinate amount of time reviewing a file because I'm researching about a new disease). Plus, unless we get a portable VTC, looks like I will be displacing our HOCALJ (my mentor) for video hearings at the end of the year due to lack of hearing space because he has a VTC in his office. haha.
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Post by jd on Jun 25, 2015 21:21:13 GMT -5
Sorry Ok1956, at least 80% of your cases will involve back, anxiety or depression.
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Post by ok1956 on Jun 26, 2015 5:49:38 GMT -5
Sorry Ok1956, at least 80% of your cases will involve back, anxiety or depression. I would welcome that!
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Post by maquereau on Jun 26, 2015 6:57:19 GMT -5
I presume you are talking about adult cases. 99% of the child cases will be asthma, ADHD/ODD. A child asthma case is probably the easiest listing to meet in all of CFR 20.
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Post by meanmom on Jun 26, 2015 7:11:33 GMT -5
I start on June 29. My HOCALJ called me yesterday to welcome me aboard. He will be my mentor. He was very nice and told me that he would never overload a new ALJ during the first few weeks because it would be counterproductive to the learning process.
He also told me that the hearing days available to me are limited as the more senior ALJs grabbed mid-week to handle their hearings so that they could get a 3 to 4 day weekend. I plan to go home (2 hour plan ride each way) almost every weekend to see my family until we decide if a move is in our future, so I was a little disappointed that I may not have the option of flying out on Thursday or Monday night. But, I knew that it was not going to easy when I took the job and I still have no regrets.
I have only heard great things about the position. The beginning will be a challenge, but I am up for it. I feel very lucky to have gotten the offer (outsider, non-vet) and am I am looking forward to this new chapter in my life.
Thanks to the Board for the information, advice and guidance. Good luck to all waiting.
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Post by lizdarcy on Jun 26, 2015 9:44:14 GMT -5
The last three weeks have been a blur of withdrawing/resigning from everything in my life and saying goodbye to colleagues I have worked with for two decades or more. I am happy to be moving forward to something challenging. I remind myself that self-employment, although it gives you freedom, also gives you insecurity and the necessity of having to market yourself non-stop in order to keep your head above water.
I got calls from my HOCALJ and mentor last week. They were very welcoming and I am looking forward to meeting them and my fellow ALJs on Monday. I am facing a rough commute (probably two hours each way every day -- three different train lines plus a mile walk) but I can't even imagine what it must have been like to do everything I was doing in 3 weeks plus relocating. Hats off to you all!! It seemed impossible three weeks ago and now it's done.
I'll see you in FC in a few weeks. I really believe that everyone on this board will be employed as an ALJ a year from now.
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Post by owl on Jun 26, 2015 13:02:22 GMT -5
I have Monday/Wednesday hearings (or I will starting next week), which means if I don't transfer home before our "one year anniversary" I will plan to telework on Thursdays and Fridays. I was under the impression new ALJs could not telework for the first year? Am I wrong about that?
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Post by redryder on Jun 26, 2015 13:45:18 GMT -5
While I appreciate the angst of the new judge with no ODAR experience, there is a whole lot more to scheduling that accommodating the judge. The claimant is entitled to get a notice of hearing that is mailed out at least 21 days prior to the hearing date. So that first docket is being scheduled when you have been in the office for a week or two at most. The scheduler has to find a VHR (court reporter) and any experts (typically a VE at least). The cases have to be screened to make sure that none are remands and all are for live hearings in the hearing office and no remote sites. There has to be an available hearing room for a judge who will be using it only 2, possible 3 days, not consecutively for two weeks of the month. (A schedule which I might add makes it more difficult to find experts sometimes. Why do 10 hearings with a newbie and pass up a docket of 25+ with a seasoned judge?) Some offices try to insure that when the newbie is holding hearings, some of the more experienced judges in the office will be on site to provide any guidance or assistance our new colleague may need. Someone has to be looking at all of those other calendars to do that.
It takes time for a new judge's workload to be smoothly worked into the pipeline that is already full of work for the other judges in the office. There wasn't a gap or downtime that we were waiting to fill. We have to make room for the newbie in the existing framework. Consequently the newbie may have very little say about how or when those first months' dockets are scheduled. However, as the system is tweaked and adjusted, the new judges will have more input as to when and where they will hold their hearings.
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Post by JudgeRatty on Jun 26, 2015 13:53:47 GMT -5
I have Monday/Wednesday hearings (or I will starting next week), which means if I don't transfer home before our "one year anniversary" I will plan to telework on Thursdays and Fridays. I was under the impression new ALJs could not telework for the first year? Am I wrong about that? You are correct. Telework is available after the first year. Not prior.
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Post by ok1956 on Jun 26, 2015 17:00:11 GMT -5
Sorry if my post was confusing. I I'll telework after the one year anniversary unless I have an opportunity to transfer home prior to that. :-)
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Post by redsox1 on Jun 26, 2015 19:30:16 GMT -5
Sorry if my post was confusing. I I'll telework after the one year anniversary unless I have an opportunity to transfer home prior to that. :-) As it stands now, Depending on your hire date, it could be longer. Up to 18 months.
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Post by mamaru on Jun 26, 2015 23:01:44 GMT -5
Sorry if my post was confusing. I I'll telework after the one year anniversary unless I have an opportunity to transfer home prior to that. :-) As it stands now, Depending on your hire date, it could be longer. Up to 18 months. Is this a change (or prospective change) in the transfer provisions of the ALJ contract that will affect individuals with later higher dates? Seems like the law of averages doesn't really apply - pretty much depends on where you want to go.
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Post by redsox1 on Jun 27, 2015 5:58:55 GMT -5
As it stands now, Depending on your hire date, it could be longer. Up to 18 months. Is this a change (or prospective change) in the transfer provisions of the ALJ contract that will affect individuals with later higher dates? Seems like the law of averages doesn't really apply - pretty much depends on where you want to go. The 12 month to telework is being interpreted as an ALJ can APPLY to telework 12 months from the date of hire. the application period is only open 2x a year in August and February, I think. if you miss the date due to your hiring date, you have to wait until the next time. My understanding is that this interpretation is the subject grievance and there are ongoing settlement discussions. Hopefully, it's a nonissue.
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Post by papresqr on Jun 27, 2015 8:46:22 GMT -5
Is this a change (or prospective change) in the transfer provisions of the ALJ contract that will affect individuals with later higher dates? Seems like the law of averages doesn't really apply - pretty much depends on where you want to go. The 12 month to telework is being interpreted as an ALJ can APPLY to telework 12 months from the date of hire. the application period is only open 2x a year in August and February, I think. if you miss the date due to your hiring date, you have to wait until the next time. My understanding is that this interpretation is the subject grievance and there are ongoing settlement discussions. Hopefully, it's a nonissue. I'm speaking from the perspective of a writer and under the AFGE contract, so I understand that it could be completely different. However, we were able to apply to telework during the proper application period prior to our anniversary, and actually start as soon as we hit that anniversary date. I don't believe our contract specified you could not apply prior to the two year (under our old contract) anniversary, and clearly wasn't interpreted that way, but we just couldn't start teleworking prior to that time.
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