|
|
Post by tripper on Jan 17, 2022 22:16:44 GMT -5
christina yes that’s what our union email said. Still waiting on AFGE.
|
|
|
|
Post by nylawyer on Jan 17, 2022 23:15:02 GMT -5
My first quick read is this sounds OK. What do you all think? Sounds quite reasonable. Things should be mostly under control by May at the current pace. I look forward to going back to the office then. The current wave should have long receded by May. But who knows what pi, rho, sigma, tau and rest have in store? So, really, who can say what May will look like. But, OTOH, perhaps there is reason to believe that if future variants require additional changes that the agency and the union will be able to work together. |
|
|
|
Post by elninost0rm on Jan 18, 2022 9:04:53 GMT -5
Anyone have any insight on how AFGE is shaping up? I'm just hoping for 3 days minimum (old status quo), but I would understand if the union is trying to negotiate more. That almost has to be the holdup at this point, no?
HCSS in my office, btw.
|
|
|
|
Post by jagvet on Jan 18, 2022 9:41:21 GMT -5
Any idea if there will be all-day in persons vs. mixed among remotes?
|
|
|
|
Post by tripper on Jan 18, 2022 9:51:42 GMT -5
Only mixed dockets with ALJ approval.
|
|
|
|
Post by nylawyer on Jan 18, 2022 10:35:09 GMT -5
Any idea if there will be all-day in persons vs. mixed among remotes? The union email states the ALJs must approve mixed dockets but encouraged ALJs to ve accommodating. I took this to mean that when I have a day of in person hearings with one proposed video hearing I should go along with it; what the union was presumably protecting us from was traveling in to do a day of video hearings with a single live hearing. |
|
|
|
Post by ba on Jan 18, 2022 12:41:25 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by jimmyjiggles on Jan 18, 2022 12:43:37 GMT -5
The circular news feed of the internet. Hi Charles! |
|
|
|
Post by jimmyjiggles on Jan 18, 2022 12:45:15 GMT -5
Anyone have any insight on how AFGE is shaping up? I'm just hoping for 3 days minimum (old status quo), but I would understand if the union is trying to negotiate more. That almost has to be the holdup at this point, no? HCSS in my office, btw. Glad it’s not just me! I am chomping at the bit to find out what the new K will say. I am super interested to know if the distance /2 hour commute rule will be broadened considerably. |
|
|
|
Post by ba on Jan 18, 2022 13:03:56 GMT -5
The circular news feed of the internet. Hi Charles! I wasn’t suggesting that there was something new. I was reminding people their comments here aren’t private by any means. |
|
|
|
Post by tripper on Jan 18, 2022 13:36:44 GMT -5
Anyone have any insight on how AFGE is shaping up? I'm just hoping for 3 days minimum (old status quo), but I would understand if the union is trying to negotiate more. That almost has to be the holdup at this point, no? HCSS in my office, btw. Glad it’s not just me! I am chomping at the bit to find out what the new K will say. I am super interested to know if the distance /2 hour commute rule will be broadened considerably. Our MOU suspends the two hour rule for the duration of the MOU. |
|
|
|
Post by nylawyer on Jan 18, 2022 14:23:45 GMT -5
The circular news feed of the internet. Hi Charles! I wasn’t suggesting that there was something new. I was reminding people their comments here aren’t private by any means. Always worth remembering. This didn't strike me as something that I shouldn't be sharing, and I definitely do give some thought to such things, because I am quite aware that anyone who cares to learn my secret identity can easily do so. |
|
|
|
Post by hopefalj on Jan 18, 2022 21:10:44 GMT -5
I wonder how this news being shared on his blog will affect late opt outs for OVH and phone hearings. Probably/hopefully not much at all, but I guess we’ll see.
I fully expect my dismissal numbers to spike this summer. Looking forward to having hearing days where I hold no hearings.
|
|
|
|
Post by natethegreat on Jan 18, 2022 21:30:34 GMT -5
I prefer to consider myself an aspiring ALJ lol |
|
|
|
Post by nylawyer on Jan 18, 2022 21:30:43 GMT -5
I wonder how this news being shared on his blog will affect late opt outs for OVH and phone hearings. Probably/hopefully not much at all, but I guess we’ll see. I fully expect my dismissal numbers to spike this summer. Looking forward to having hearing days where I hold no hearings. Your HOCALJ may have already dismissed them all by then. |
|
|
|
Post by tripper on Jan 18, 2022 21:52:55 GMT -5
I wonder how this news being shared on his blog will affect late opt outs for OVH and phone hearings. Probably/hopefully not much at all, but I guess we’ll see. I fully expect my dismissal numbers to spike this summer. Looking forward to having hearing days where I hold no hearings. I would be surprised to find that reps will overwhelming opt for in person hearings, especially where hearing offices are in urban areas with parking and other challenges. I don’t think the agree rates have changed much so why deal with coming into OHOs? |
|
|
|
Post by Legal Beagle on Jan 18, 2022 22:03:00 GMT -5
The interesting thing is that the link to this Board on Charles' website was de-activated months ago, so folks can't jump from there to here. So, somebody here must be reporting back to him.
|
|
|
|
Post by okthen on Jan 19, 2022 10:29:51 GMT -5
Anyone have any insight on how AFGE is shaping up? I'm just hoping for 3 days minimum (old status quo), but I would understand if the union is trying to negotiate more. That almost has to be the holdup at this point, no? HCSS in my office, btw. Glad it’s not just me! I am chomping at the bit to find out what the new K will say. I am super interested to know if the distance /2 hour commute rule will be broadened considerably. That’s the least the Agency could do considering 1) other similar judge positions are going 100% remote (VLJs), and 2) the Agency basically failed to work the transfer list for almost 2 years, simultaneous with trying to eliminate it in CBA bargaining/impasse. A reasonable thought is that if you are not going to move people, you could at least provide them some flexibility with where they live and trust that they will be in the office when needed. EDIT/UPDATE - based on new Chief Judge email RE: re-entry, it does seem as though Agency leadership is turning a corner in a good direction here. Their words suggest that the Agency will meet the Corp halfway in attempting to balance work-life interests. Will take them at their word that they mean it. Happy employees mean better and more productive employees. Stressed employees (whether staff, writer, judge) are not in the best interest of the Agency or the public. |
|
|
|
Post by okthen on Jan 19, 2022 10:30:58 GMT -5
The interesting thing is that the link to this Board on Charles' website was de-activated months ago, so folks can't jump from there to here. So, somebody here must be reporting back to him. I would assume he just monitors the board. |
|
|
|
Post by okthen on Jan 19, 2022 10:39:47 GMT -5
I wonder how this news being shared on his blog will affect late opt outs for OVH and phone hearings. Probably/hopefully not much at all, but I guess we’ll see. I fully expect my dismissal numbers to spike this summer. Looking forward to having hearing days where I hold no hearings. I would be surprised to find that reps will overwhelming opt for in person hearings, especially where hearing offices are in urban areas with parking and other challenges. I don’t think the agree rates have changed much so why deal with coming into OHOs? I agree with this. It seems to me that a large percentage of claimant’s (and reps) really enjoy phone hearings. Admittedly, video hearings do not seem as popular as I would have originally guessed. But I don’t think there will be many in-person requests; somewhere between 25-40% for in person would be my guess. And as Tripper mentions, if the pay rates are all similar on the phone/video as in-person, then why deal with hassle of traveling in? Some of the larger nationwide firms probably have saved a boatload on travels costs too. But I think this option is absolutely the right call going forward. Meet the claimant and the rep in the manner they want. Phone? Sure. Video? Sure. In Person? Sure. If somebody feels strongly about the format, I think it’s reasonable to meet them where they want to be met. |
|
