Got a Letter Today...

[privateatty]

Would it then be safe to assume that the July 21, 2008 report date for the April cert is no longer valid?

What comes to mind is the Golden Rule.

[globalpanda]

Jun 21, 2008 10:37:11 GMT -5 privateatty said:

Would it then be safe to assume that the July 21, 2008 report date for the April cert is no longer valid?

What comes to mind is the Golden Rule.

Not a good assumption.

The only real limitation is that the Administration will set your start date at the first day of a pay period. The most current pay period ended 06/21. The next one ends 07/05. The one after that ends 07/19. In theory, (and I want to be clear that this is just a WAG) they could start you as early as 07/06 with a report date of 07/07. Typically however, they like to give at least two weeks. So the 07/07 start date scenario is not likely.

So the 07/21 start date is still attainable, if they make the offers by Thursday July 3rd. Just saying. Payroll is not much concerned with the "golden rule".

[zia234]

I hear different things. That it could be next week or it might be July. Bottom line, no one seems to know the exact date we will hear, possibly due to the expanded cert, or the fact that they just aren't done for some reason.

This is all unverified information I got from insiders who are not in the know. So, I guess we can all have those drinks we love so much!

[deltajudge]

8-)Again I say to y'all, seriously think about a career in real law. ODAR is a quasi-judicial agency, and the people in management there cannot even spell it, let alone give you any aid and abettance. Plus you will not have any job satisfaction, and no pat on the backs. A miserable place to work. But you will have your robes, with no respect from anyone.

[pm]

Yes, we know. You hate ODAR. What else is new?

If you think there are many law firms, state agencies, or corporate legal departments that are run any better than ODAR, you are sadly mistaken. People are people.

Go read up on how many GC's have been prosecuted for backdating stock options.

[deltajudge]

8-)No, I don't hate ODAR, mainly because I never worked for them, thank God. All of my career, 30 years was spent with OHA. Most of that time was great, but a lot was not. So I'm not going to get into a debate with you. Go ahead on and place your future with an agency that will not appreciate you, and not give you any career satisfaction. You are in for a miserable time. Keep your independence while you can.

[extang]

Hey guys, keep in mind that deltajudge has actually worked for OHA and you haven't. My own impression is that you can have no idea how bad this agency is until you actually have worked here for a while. I have some experience of working for other federal government agencies, and they were in fact nowhere nearly as badly run as OHA/ODAR. I am not saying you should not try to get a job here. Just keep your expectations really low.

[pm]

I have seldom worked anywhere that appreciated me. I have seldom truly had any career satisfaction as an attorney. If you worked for OHA for 30 years, you really are in no position to lecture anyone about what exists elsewhere in the legal world.

When you have worked for a big firm and have billed 3000 hours a year and gotten new business, get back to me and tell me how you liked it. When you have worked for a corporate legal department for years and one of your moronic subordinates has been promoted over you because she was sleeping with your boss, get back to me and tell me how you liked it.

The truth is that there are very few truly nice legal jobs out there. I'm quite sure ODAR is far from perfect, but I have lots of experience with "far from perfect".

[morgullord]

OHA is now ODAR.
Esso is now Exxon...

[calalj]

Some of the posts on the last few pages make me think of Jean Paul Sartre's No Exit. Lighten up, folks! It's just a job opportunity, and from the sounds of it, it may have as many problems as it does solutions.

[globalpanda]

And, from the perspective of the Federal Government, a particularly well paid job opportunity.

The truth is some offices are a joy to work in. And some really, really suck wind. "Sick office" syndrome is usually the result of poor management practices. There is little way to know before hand, unless you are an insider privy to the grapevine, what the office will be like. And there are no guarantees that it will not change after you get there.

Like any other job, the work at ODAR can be alternatively exciting and mind numbingly boring. Make of it what you will. And in the end, if you do not like the office you are in, ask for a transfer or just vote with your feet.

[happy]

Amen.

[aaa]

For the bulk of my career with OHA/ODAR I have been extremely happy working here. Yes, there have been some times when I was burnt out and the thought of leaving crossed my mind. However, it passed and I'm still here. I like the work and I really enjoy the medical aspect of it (maybe I'm a repressed doctor or I stayed at Holiday Inn Express last night). My office has always been a good office - maybe that's the difference.

My opinion is that it is what you make of it. SinceI'm a new ALJ, perhaps my opinion will change with time, but so far, so good. I've now been on both sides of it - management and not. Maybe that makes a difference - I don't know. I feel fortunate to have the career I do. When I go home, I leave work at work. I can take off about whenever I need to (now it takes a little more planning since I can't just walk out on a hearing) and attend my son's school events. No middle of the night "get me out of jail" phone calls. No billable hour quota. No working 80 hours a week and never seeing my family. No going on vacation but taking along briefs to write. Bottom line for me is that I feel I've got it all - a wonderful home life and a wonderful work life. I feel fulfilled in both and I sure can't ask for more than that.

[lawdog98]

Could not say it better than aaa did and I cannot agree more!