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Post by christina on Jan 6, 2016 19:53:53 GMT -5
Yes, you can edit any of your decisions that are written for you
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2016 21:58:41 GMT -5
Thanks. I appreciate the background on the SSA and those that appear before it. Just one question: the SAA writing your decision still has to get your final approval before you sign the order, correct? You don't really cede (my own bad choice of words) any control over to them if you still have editing authority. Whether or not you have the time to edit what is written is likely another matter entirely. Yes as others have stated in the above response, you are 100% in control of your decision before signing (e-sign) the opinion. But, the point of my comments are they you will not have the time or ability to re-write to your standards and still complete 500-700, it’s impossible without donating a lot of free time to the agency and in violation of policy. If your OCD is that HIGH (all attorneys have some OCD), SSA ODAR is not the gig. OMHA is easier, as are other agencies. Best of luck. Tiger
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Post by christina on Jan 6, 2016 22:07:03 GMT -5
I agree with tigers comments that omha may be better fit if you want to have time to edit your decisions a lot
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Post by montyburns on Jan 7, 2016 1:00:06 GMT -5
Two recent developments not discussed yet and which, to me, potentially alter the calculus are:
1. AAs/ SAAs can now do OT from home. To me, this is huge. Barring politics, OT has been plentiful. This means that getting into the low/mid 100s is doable, all while not having to get dressed! (Subject, as always, to politics/OT availability).
2. The 15 month transfer rule. Having youngish kids, this is big. Basically two years at least to get back to a place close to home. Hard to justify for those two years, when I could be sitting in my underwear at home making just as much (initially at least).
Not sure it totally dissuades me from being an ALJ, but certainly makes it a less than automatic decision.
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Post by christina on Jan 7, 2016 6:09:09 GMT -5
I think the biggest issue with SA going to ALJ is that you still think like an employee of the Agency instead of a United States Administrative Law Judge appointed under the United States Code and the Administrative Procedures Act.
2. Sorry, didn't mean to indicate anything about SAAs' independence, I really don't know enough about the job. I just think that it will be easier for the transition from employee to Judge if you embrace the independence that the APA provides and read your CBA closely and on a regular basis as it protects you almost as much as the APA does on a day to day basis. The HOCALJ is just your "administrative supervisor", she/he is not your Boss and as long as you let them know that in a pleasant and respectful way, it's not a bad life.
I should do well over 500 cases in my first full year, as I did 305 in my partial year with 100% AC agreement rate (all 5 of them). Now with over 30 in ALPO, I must quit running my mouth and get to work. Just my humble opinion and not looking to step on anyone's toes!
Thanks, Tiger
Hello to all, finally got a few minutes to make some substantive posts. My first is an apology to Tigerlaw and thanks for being so gracious in how you handled a cryptic/cranky retort i made back at you. Above is combo of 2 posts you made. i made my response off my cell phone and did not have your exact wording on the first point when i commented. First, i mischaracterized what you said and that was an honest mistake on my part as opposed to cattiness. using the cellphone, i could not look at what you had said when i made my response comment given my lack of techie skills :/ Still, where i was trying to go is that insiders may not necc think like an employee if they make judge. I've met my share of insiders who are now judges as well as attorneys who are not judges. For the most part and perhaps 100 percent of us are far less inclined than many others to think as rigidly as perhaps folks in other components do. But it came out very wrong and argumentative and truly, thanks on how you handled it. Your advice above that i posted here is fanastic BTW. if i become a judge, i will take that to heart. Are you missing Tenn at all?? sounds like Boise is a great place for you and the Mrs. but is a long way from Memphis. and good day to all!!!
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Post by christina on Jan 7, 2016 6:34:37 GMT -5
and mercury, ugh. i will have to come back to GS issue later once again. Sigh, everyone is starting to wake up so my nice quiet time has quickly ended.
Super briefly, as i mentioned above, get your 7 years of qualifying legal experience in as OPM defines QLE before you take on the GS job.
minuses have been noted above by those who have been in those trenches. i agree with those assessments.
Plusses, well a GS-13 makes more than a 12. Many insiders who are now judges have management experience and imo, doing a good job as a GS and HOD can help in your ALJ application if you make a SSA cert. Second, you have a chance to meet others outside your office and make connections. Re telework, there has been a pilot that allows some managers to telework maybe one day a week. it this goes well and as our offices get more and more cyber, it is plausible managers will have more chances to telework.
hoping to post more by the weekend!!! Time for more caffeine and work now!
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Post by tripper on Jan 7, 2016 9:34:58 GMT -5
Two recent developments not discussed yet and which, to me, potentially alter the calculus are: 1. AAs/ SAAs can now do OT from home. To me, this is huge. Barring politics, OT has been plentiful. This means that getting into the low/mid 100s is doable, all while not having to get dressed! (Subject, as always, to politics/OT availability). 2. The 15 month transfer rule. Having youngish kids, this is big. Basically two years at least to get back to a place close to home. Hard to justify for those two years, when I could be sitting in my underwear at home making just as much (initially at least). Not sure it totally dissuades me from being an ALJ, but certainly makes it a less than automatic decision. Agreed. I know several of my "insider" colleagues who feel the same way.
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Post by christina on Jan 7, 2016 9:42:07 GMT -5
keep in mind how quickly ALJ salary goes up though.
Also, ran retirement numbers for me and they jump by around $1000 a month if i become ALJ.
The kids issue is huge though. i refused to apply until mine were older because i was not going to be apart from them for as long as you noted above nor were my husband or I up for uprooting our family until recently. And we are still processing the do we really want to uproot issue even with for the most part grown kids.
Plus I wanted flexibility to take off for extracurricular events, family trips, etc. As i can tell all of you are processing, you can never get that time with them back.
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Post by montyburns on Jan 7, 2016 10:27:16 GMT -5
Plus I wanted flexibility to take off for extracurricular events, family trips, etc. As i can tell all of you are processing, you can never get that time with them back. And there's the rub, you can't get that time back; otoh a legit opportunity to be an ALJ is also something you will probably never get more than one chance at. While the kids might enjoy your presence when they are young, I can already see their teenage faces twisted into angsty disgust "gawd why aren't you a judge already and make some real money".
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Post by christina on Jan 7, 2016 10:37:20 GMT -5
they are worse when teenagers because they do NOT want to move. i know some ALJ's who handled issue by moving whole family when the darlings were young, go to as many EC's as they could on non-hearing days and then work evenings on their own dime to make up for time off in afternoon. That is one way to do this... and once you get to point where you have leave coming out of your ears anyway, you don't mind giving up leave as much. and by that i mean, using leave to be gone during core work hours when you are in fact working more than 8 hours that day.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2016 10:48:15 GMT -5
Tigerlaw made a very brief comment that all wannabies and newbies should perk up about; "the point of my comments are they you will not have the time or ability to re-write to your standards and still complete 500-700, it’s impossible without donating a lot of free time to the agency and in violation of policy."
I, as one who thoroughly enjoys my position, have routinely found myself editing/signing decisions on what is considered time off (i.e., after hours, on a weekend, etc). I naively thought with the 1 million claim backlog, this would be good for all. Uh no. Doing non-work hour work so will earn you a subtle admonishment akin to "Yeah, that's nice of you...now stop it."
Lesson learned: Yes you can do +500 dispositions per year, but make sure you only do so on company time.
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Post by christina on Jan 7, 2016 10:53:36 GMT -5
Tigerlaw made a very brief comment that all wannabies and newbies should perk up about; "the point of my comments are they you will not have the time or ability to re-write to your standards and still complete 500-700, it’s impossible without donating a lot of free time to the agency and in violation of policy." I, as one who thoroughly enjoys my position, have routinely found myself editing/signing decisions on what is considered time off (i.e., after hours, on a weekend, etc). I naively thought with the 1 million claim backlog, this would be good for all. Uh no. Doing non-work hour work so will earn you a subtle admonishment akin to "Yeah, that's nice of you...now stop it." Lesson learned: Yes you can do +500 dispositions per year, but make sure you only do so on company time. Really?? That's not good. i actually thought a plus of being an ALJ would be i could work past 6. yeah, call me weird but i hate getting tossed out at 6 if im in the middle of something. The agency used to be a lot more cool about people staying in office past 6 then they are these days. our office even tosses ALJ's out at 6, which in think may violate your CBA? and papajudge, i don't think you are teleworking yet? thanks for the real world input BTW....
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Post by Administrator ALJ on Jan 7, 2016 11:09:52 GMT -5
Thanks. I appreciate the background on the SSA and those that appear before it. Just one question: the SAA writing your decision still has to get your final approval before you sign the order, correct? You don't really cede (my own bad choice of words) any control over to them if you still have editing authority. Whether or not you have the time to edit what is written is likely another matter entirely. Yep to all of those points. You have to sign off on it unless you authorize another ALJ to do so. And those concerns re: editing are real. Thanks. That's very helpful!
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Post by Administrator ALJ on Jan 7, 2016 11:12:05 GMT -5
Yes, you can edit any of your decisions that are written for you Fabulous. That's really all I wanted to know. Thanks for being succinct.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2016 11:20:15 GMT -5
Yes I telework a lot, every opportunity that I can. ODARs close shop at 6 pm. Last one out is the designated "officer in charge" (OIC) of the day (record is made), and he/she turns out lights, clears building, sets alarm, shuts door. So trying to work past designated hours as far as I know is physically impractical. You can do it, but its is not well liked and eyebrows raised and commentary will be made because of the security problems that you create. Then also there is the sign in/out sheet that ALJs must do and if your sign ins and outs are pre or post designated work hours, then you will well likely be advised to cease and desist. Working "off company time" on TW is possible at any time. I have been made to understand that your log in/outs on your computer are logged somewhere, thus someone somewhere is noting when you are on/off your computer wherever you are located. On regular TW hours, you must move your mouse once at least every 10 minutes or you will show up as not present. "Signing" decisions and/or changing status' in CPMS on non-company time is likely where one (e.g. me) gets into policy compliant issues as Tigerlaw noted. Once a decision is signed and moves over to mail status, that decision must go out within a specific time period. Doing so afterhours or on weekends could result in the decision not being processed in policy compliant manner. Thus even though you are acting in good faith trying to clear the 1 million case backlog all by yourself, doing so in a non-policy compliant manner will not be appreciated.
After decades of solo practice which is a 365/24/7 operation, the biggest hurdles I had to learn to stop jumping when coming on as an ALJ were the simplest. You shall NOT work 365/24/7. You shall NOT lie awake at night worrying about case deadlines/clients/bills. You shall work only x hours on x days. At all other times you shall enjoy life.
it is a very very good routine.
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Post by christina on Jan 7, 2016 11:34:40 GMT -5
True. the bureaucratic idiosyncrasies are way better than your best day in private practice i imagine.
i was lucky to join odar within a few years of being licensed so i for the most part have been happy oblivious to all the stress of private practice.
But to be critical, i follow what you are saying due to benchmarks. but this is one time where benchmarks are counterproductive.... it makes far more sense for you to move case to mail at 8pm and if gasp, it goes out 3 days letter for some reason, i doubt the entire govt infrastructure will topple. but that aside. And as i hope you have guessed, my criticism is not at you but at the joys of govt logic.
i am glad about the emphasis to keep aged cases moving as they do need to get out the door. our benchmarks and super focus on aged cases started maybe around the same time. or maybe it was 2 to 3 years apart. hard to keep track of when each change occurred over the years.
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Post by redryder on Jan 7, 2016 13:00:01 GMT -5
Regarding the inquiry about writing your own decisions. It depends on your background. I was a writer, senior attorney and group supervisor before receiving my appointment. Throughout that entire time, I continued to write decisions and dismissals. Consequently, I find that as an ALJ, it is more efficient for me to write my own fully favorable decisions than issue instructions and proof/edit the drafts. I also write my dismissals. But remember my background prepared me to do this. If you lack the ODAR writing experience, you probably are not going to write any decisions or dismissals.
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Post by christina on Jan 7, 2016 13:24:13 GMT -5
Yes, you can edit any of your decisions that are written for you Fabulous. That's really all I wanted to know. Thanks for being succinct. Ha. Glad to hear it!!! usually, i am the opposite of succinct!!
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Post by Administrator ALJ on Jan 7, 2016 13:33:21 GMT -5
Regarding the inquiry about writing your own decisions. It depends on your background. I was a writer, senior attorney and group supervisor before receiving my appointment. Throughout that entire time, I continued to write decisions and dismissals. Consequently, I find that as an ALJ, it is more efficient for me to write my own fully favorable decisions than issue instructions and proof/edit the drafts. I also write my dismissals. But remember my background prepared me to do this. If you lack the ODAR writing experience, you probably are not going to write any decisions or dismissals. Efficiency is important. Thanks for the perspective Redryder!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2016 18:58:35 GMT -5
Really?? That's not good. i actually thought a plus of being an ALJ would be i could work past 6. yeah, call me weird but i hate getting tossed out at 6 if im in the middle of something. The agency used to be a lot more cool about people staying in office past 6 then they are these days. our office even tosses ALJ's out at 6, which in think may violate your CBA? and papajudge, i don't think you are teleworking yet? thanks for the real world input BTW.... Article 14, Section 6 of the CBA allows access from 5 AM to 10 PM, so long as the Judge request to be Office-in-Charge (OIC) and there is no expectation of utilities (heat or AC) and no computer assistance until regular business hours on regular work days.
The HOD and HOCALJ in Tupelo tried to do that (not for any punishment type purpose, but b/c they thought it was required based upon a security inspection) and a swift and immediate response by the ALJs to READ the contract ended that plan. The AALJ's contract can be your best friend and "even I know that". So if I was in the office above, we would be fighting that and winning with the Agency. BTW, I didn't take anything you said as snarky, it went right over my head when I read whatever comment you are referring to! Funky has trained me to look for a direct insult in order to take it the wrong way, so for me you have to lead off with stupid, loud mouth to get my attention. Hope anything I post these days is helpful as that truly is the intent of my comments.
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