|
|
Post by funkyodar on Jun 7, 2016 20:42:34 GMT -5
So I am guessing that this is covered in the Falls Church training, but are there recommendations that we delete/make completely private all of our Social Media accounts (FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter)? Re: Facebook, the most recent AALJ President's Newsletter (yesterday) states, "Please, please, you will save yourself aggravation if you make sure that your privacy settings exclude the public and that you are discrete in what you post. Not identifying yourself as a Social Security ALJ would also be wise." This seems like a good lead in for some more practical info. Indeed, it's a good idea to keep all your social media private and to not run around proclaiming your social security judge status. But, it's more than that. I won't get into all the reasons you shouldn't be reserving tables as "The Honorable" because they do a good job of that at training. Let's just stick to Internet related issues. If you have never worked for the federal government, you may be as surprised as I was when I first came on to learn how much info someone can get just by googling your name and "federal employee." Salaries and income were always things I was taught to not talk about in public. Yet, a simple Google or fedsmith search will tell the world what you made last year. To the penny. While every federal employee has that info easily attainable, there are some unique issues with being an ALJ. Multiple sites, of which disabilityjudges.com is just the oldest, will allow people to look up exactly how many cases you disposed of each year, how many were dismissals, favorable and unfavorable. Most even allow a disgruntled rep or claimant to anonymously post their impressions, feelings about you, veiled and not so veiled threats and generally whatever else they want to say. So yeah, if you are coming from private practice you need to be ready for a shock, a job where everyone knows exactly what you are paid, exactly what you did at any given time and can heckle you anonymously about it. Then there's the real fun unbalanced folks that direct there anger at you. You don't want them to be able to find your home or cell number online. Or God forbid your home or mailing address. You are gonna want to scrub all that from LinkedIn, Facebook or any other social media. Get an unlisted number. It's supposed to be impossible for a claimant to get to the judge via the office phone menu, but it does happen. Just two weeks ago my phone rang and it was someone disgruntled over how long their hearing was set for and they called, somehow got my extension and threatened to kill themself, their doctor, their local police chief and yours truly. All of this is just part of it and you should take steps to insulate yourself. It's so tempting to want to tell everyone what you do, especially after fighting so hard to get the gig, just remember not everyone you encounter will be in a congratulatory or deferential mood. It's even easy to do it by accident. When I first got the job and was sent off, I rented an apartment short term and decided to rent a washer and dryer. In filling out the paperwork I had to list my phone number and job. I proudly listed SSA ALJ. 2 hours after the washer and dryer were delivered, an employee of the rental company called me and wanted to discuss her husbands disability case. Be ready, this stuff will happen to you. Just be careful, keep a low profile and guard what little privacy you have. Funk |
|
|
|
Post by msp on Jun 8, 2016 8:05:28 GMT -5
funkyodar or anyone else, can you offer any insight re: property records anonymity? Would a person's home be best listed in the spouse's name (if available)?
|
|
|
|
Post by Judicially Imployed on Jun 8, 2016 8:18:44 GMT -5
funkyodar or anyone else, can you offer any insight re: property records anonymity? Would a person's home be best listed in the spouse's name (if available)? Funky, I got this one! Msp, To insure maximum anonymity, you should list your home in funky's name. |
|
|
|
Post by msp on Jun 8, 2016 8:24:25 GMT -5
BAH! Done JI!
|
|
|
|
Post by onepingonly on Jun 8, 2016 8:39:05 GMT -5
funkyodar or anyone else, can you offer any insight re: property records anonymity? Would a person's home be best listed in the spouse's name (if available)? The ship has sailed. Google your name. If you have a really common name, you may be hidden in the haystack. Otherwise, in the unlikely event your not-common name does not come up in a Google search (i.e., you have never bought property, bought a car, had a credit card, or given your home address to the bar association), you may be OK, if you never put your name on anything and keep off social media. With slightly more determination than a random Google search, anyone can find you. Watch what you say and do in public. Keep a dignified profile, in person and online. Practice saying "I can't get into that [prohibited or imprudent topic]." If your friends and family think you are kidding, tell them you took an oath of office and are subject to the Hatch Act. If they don't get that, get better friends and family. ALJs do sometimes get stalked, threatened, and, very rarely, attacked. Claimants and reps shop at popular stores and eat at popular eateries. You may run into them. Do not be obnoxious on or off the bench. Don't make more enemies than you need to. More than once, a rep has given me a heads-up about a death threat against me from the client. If the rep respects you, you're more likely to get the heads-up. Everyone has a camera in their phone, and social media tags you all over the web. Don't disgrace yourself in public. An ALJ is a public figure. There are some who rejoice to see the might fall. You may feel like small fry, but your salary is public information and to a person living on the fringes of society, a mentally ill person, or a desperate claimant, you may appear to be no less lofty than an Article III judge. You may be the focus of years of frustration, anger, anguish. Schadenfreude is ugly. Enjoy your life, but exercise the discretion that befits your position. Be safe out there. |
|
|
|
Post by msp on Jun 8, 2016 8:46:29 GMT -5
Excellent advice, even for non-ALJs, onepingonly, thanks! |
|
|
|
Post by inpatientlurker on Jun 8, 2016 10:16:10 GMT -5
So is it normal to ask yourself a million times each day if you actually received the call offering the position? (I will feel so much better when the emails start going out, I'm still thinking, did I really hear Bob offer me my first choice, or did I dream the whole thing?)
|
|
|
|
Post by luckylady2 on Jun 8, 2016 10:32:37 GMT -5
It's delightful to see you so dazed and amazed, inpatientlurker!! Love the - very appropriate - change of avatars, too! |
|
|
|
Post by Baymax on Jun 8, 2016 10:41:10 GMT -5
Not to belittle Funky's and Onepingonly's (and others') excellent guidance here, keep in mind that most members of the judiciary, whether administrative judicial branch, face these issues constantly. It's an inherent part of being a judge, no matter what level. When someone's life, liberty, or happiness is at stake, there are a lot of emotions involved, and we all have to be smart and proactive.
That having been said, and in light of another thread that referred to rep-ALJ relationships, I found that interacting with judges on a personal level (before/after court, during recesses, at legal community events, etc.) is a very valuable way to earn credibility, both for the attorneys and the judges. I'm not suggesting taking attorneys out to lunch or dinner, but when I was a prosecutor, my criminal division judges often invited us for coffee in their chambers during a recess, invited us to an annual lunch at a nice restaurant, etc. Many of those judges are now very useful references as to my personality and trial skills. As oneping mentioned, a rep who respects you may give you a heads-up on a threat, but you still have to earn that respect. Of course, every system has its rules on sequestration, so obviously stay within the limits.
In some states, members of the judiciary are afforded the same privacy protections as to their personal information (often these include property records too) as prosecutors and law enforcement officers. Does anyone know whether these protections usually apply to ALJs too?
Also, Funky (and other judges), when you receive threats, do you report them to law enforcement? Is any action ever taken? Or do you just shrug them off?
|
|
|
|
Post by Baymax on Jun 8, 2016 11:07:28 GMT -5
Multiple sites, of which disabilityjudges.com is just the oldest, will allow people to look up exactly how many cases you disposed of each year, how many were dismissals, favorable and unfavorable. Most even allow a disgruntled rep or claimant to anonymously post their impressions, feelings about you, veiled and not so veiled threats and generally whatever else they want to say. I was just perusing through a randomly selected ODAR office's comments on disability judges.com and was amazed to see just how many people leave negative, disparaging, and down right mean comments. Thick skin is a must for this (or any judicial) job. |
|
|
|
Post by inpatientlurker on Jun 8, 2016 11:13:19 GMT -5
It's delightful to see you so dazed and amazed, inpatientlurker !! Love the - very appropriate - change of avatars, too! Thanks, figured I had to get rid of the mopey avatar after the great news. Still getting used to smiling! |
|
|
|
Post by slainte on Jun 8, 2016 11:17:32 GMT -5
So is it normal to ask yourself a million times each day if you actually received the call offering the position? (I will feel so much better when the emails start going out, I'm still thinking, did I really hear Bob offer me my first choice, or did I dream the whole thing?) My current thinking as well IL. |
|
|
|
Post by onepingonly on Jun 8, 2016 11:27:46 GMT -5
Good points, Baymax. To your question, I don't shrug threats off. I report them, and the Federal Protective Service and FBI have gotten involved a few times. Your HOCALJ can guide you if it ever arises. You're right, it just goes with the territory of being a judge. I got threats enough as a prosecutor too. Certainly our veterans on the board have faced much worse with equanimity. I just try not to provoke more bad karma than necessary. And any threat against my wife and kids, I take with the utmost seriousness. |
|
|
|
Post by onepingonly on Jun 8, 2016 11:29:12 GMT -5
Multiple sites, of which disabilityjudges.com is just the oldest, will allow people to look up exactly how many cases you disposed of each year, how many were dismissals, favorable and unfavorable. Most even allow a disgruntled rep or claimant to anonymously post their impressions, feelings about you, veiled and not so veiled threats and generally whatever else they want to say. I was just perusing through a randomly selected ODAR office's comments on disability judges.com and was amazed to see just how many people leave negative, disparaging, and down right mean comments. Thick skin is a must for this (or any judicial) job. Yeah, and that's despite an ongoing effort by their moderators to scrub off the overt threats. Ask me how I know. |
|
|
|
Post by jagvet on Jun 8, 2016 12:07:29 GMT -5
It's really impossible to hide these days. I have tracked down old friends and even a couple of my references when I didn't have current info. The best advice, which was posted here a couple pages ago, is tell people to avoid posting "Judge X" on Facebook and other social media. I'm going to cancel my stupid LinkedIn account. It was just a pain and led to zero valuable links when I was job searching. So far WhatsApp seemed secure as a closed loop with family or friends. In some states voter registration rolls are open. Watch out for seeming innocuous neighborhood groups like Nextdoor. I have heard that burglars create false identities to get on them. They're just too easy to join. Zillow will often give people access to your tax assessor records.
|
|
|
|
Post by slainte on Jun 8, 2016 15:33:42 GMT -5
So is it normal to ask yourself a million times each day if you actually received the call offering the position? (I will feel so much better when the emails start going out, I'm still thinking, did I really hear Bob offer me my first choice, or did I dream the whole thing?) It is not a dream!!! I just received my offer letter from Bob  |
|
|
|
Post by jagvet on Jun 8, 2016 15:43:37 GMT -5
So is it normal to ask yourself a million times each day if you actually received the call offering the position? (I will feel so much better when the emails start going out, I'm still thinking, did I really hear Bob offer me my first choice, or did I dream the whole thing?) It is not a dream!!! I just received my offer letter from Bob Thanks for mentioning the letter. I just checked my email and mine was there, too. |
|
|
|
Post by inpatientlurker on Jun 8, 2016 16:06:35 GMT -5
It is not a dream!!! I just received my offer letter from Bob Thanks for mentioning the letter. I just checked my email and mine was there, too. Now I am going to get scared I didn't get mine yet. Does the anxiety never end! |
|
|
|
Post by slainte on Jun 8, 2016 16:10:16 GMT -5
Thanks for mentioning the letter. I just checked my email and mine was there, too. Now I am going to get scared I didn't get mine yet. Does the anxiety never end! Yes, after you get the letter (which is imminent) |
|
|
|
Post by funkyodar on Jun 8, 2016 16:11:26 GMT -5
Thanks for mentioning the letter. I just checked my email and mine was there, too. Now I am going to get scared I didn't get mine yet. Does the anxiety never end! No. Almost two years into the gig I still wake up some mornings and wonder if this is the day I get to the office and there's a big, "Just kidding" sign on my door. |
|
