|
|
Post by zbornee on Apr 10, 2022 9:22:20 GMT -5
for those of us who used to be claimants' reps, i wonder if a case brief would be useable?
|
|
|
|
Post by pumpkin on Apr 10, 2022 20:27:39 GMT -5
I was part of the hiring committee at my former government employer. I had to read the writing samples of the applicants. Please make it interesting.
I would not use a representative brief or a Social Security decision, even redacted. Since SSA is doing their own hiring, someone at SSA will need to read the writing sample (if indeed they even require one).
If you have a burning passion for Social Security disability law, then find an issue and IRAC it. Whether the Social Security administration should require all claimant representatives to be licensed attorneys? Whether the current $6,000 cap on representative fees should be raised? Whether the regulations permitting the claimant to demand an in-person hearing should be amended? Whether the successful use of telephone and MS Teams video hearings by line ALJs abrogates the need for national hearing center judges? Whether partnering one line ALJ with one HCSR and two decision writers would yield a more efficient decisional process so long as those partners are managed by Group Supervisors?
I think perhaps the Social Security folks who read these might want to read about something besides Social Security law. I could very well be wrong about that. But if Social Security disability law is your true passion, then go with your heart and write the hell out of it….in 3-5 pages 😉
|
|
|
|
Post by fowlfinder on Apr 10, 2022 21:15:12 GMT -5
Not to disagree, but . . .
As part of the "application" for the the last hiring group (the one that got interviewed in 2019 but from which no one was ever hired), the application required mini essays on a number of topics. I could be wrong, but I got the feeling that one of the things the screening committee was looking at when evaluating those essays, was writing ability.
I could be wrong (and I do have a writing sample prepped, same one I've used for other recent applications, but I would expect something similar. If writing is a concern, I suspect they will use those essays as the measure. Two birds, one stone. Less stuff to review.
But I've been wrong before.
|
|
|
|
Post by prescient on Apr 11, 2022 8:27:12 GMT -5
Not to disagree, but . . . As part of the "application" for the the last hiring group (the one that got interviewed in 2019 but from which no one was ever hired), the application required mini essays on a number of topics. I could be wrong, but I got the feeling that one of the things the screening committee was looking at when evaluating those essays, was writing ability. I could be wrong (and I do have a writing sample prepped, same one I've used for other recent applications, but I would expect something similar. If writing is a concern, I suspect they will use those essays as the measure. Two birds, one stone. Less stuff to review. But I've been wrong before. True but that was when OPM drove the bus A more applicable part to add to the testing process would be to give a sample decision draft riddled with errors, and ask applicants to revise it |
|
|
|
Post by neufenland on Apr 11, 2022 8:59:04 GMT -5
Not to disagree, but . . . As part of the "application" for the the last hiring group (the one that got interviewed in 2019 but from which no one was ever hired), the application required mini essays on a number of topics. I could be wrong, but I got the feeling that one of the things the screening committee was looking at when evaluating those essays, was writing ability. I could be wrong (and I do have a writing sample prepped, same one I've used for other recent applications, but I would expect something similar. If writing is a concern, I suspect they will use those essays as the measure. Two birds, one stone. Less stuff to review. But I've been wrong before. True but that was when OPM drove the bus A more applicable part to add to the testing process would be to give a sample decision draft riddled with errors, and ask applicants to revise it The 2019 announcement was limited to folks with a numerical NOR from OPM (on the former Register or would have been but for its closure), but the application process and requirements were SSA-directed. SSA did require narrative responses to questions. I imagine this was primarily to gauge experience, but it also served to test writing ability. |
|
|
|
Post by nylawyer on Apr 11, 2022 10:50:51 GMT -5
Changing the topic a bit- my understanding is that the hearings in Puerto Rico are held in Spanish?
So, what would be the legal impediment to having our Spanish speaking claimants that are being heard by phone or video being held by a Spanish speaking ALJ?
Assuming those impediments are not too cumbersome, then I would suggest that the ability to speak Spanish should become a highly favored characteristic going forward in hiring.
|
|
|
|
Post by ssaogc on Apr 11, 2022 13:19:46 GMT -5
Changing the topic a bit- my understanding is that the hearings in Puerto Rico are held in Spanish? So, what would be the legal impediment to having our Spanish speaking claimants that are being heard by phone or video being held by a Spanish speaking ALJ? Assuming those impediments are not too cumbersome, then I would suggest that the ability to speak Spanish should become a highly favored characteristic going forward in hiring. A few years ago they were begging any Spanish Speaking ALJs to take a virtual detail and conduct hearings via video in Spanish. The ALJ of course would have to keep coming into office to do the hearings using SSA equipment but now this a new era. And if you recall there is a case at SCOTUS re PR residents and SSI. They cannot get it now but it seems that they will get it since another commonwealth, the Northern Marianas islands residents can get it. surely this will open up a tsunami of SSI claims EDIT. Looks like no SSI for PR empirejustice.org/resources_post/scotus-hears-puerto-rico-ssi-case/ |
|
|
|
Post by pumpkin on Apr 11, 2022 13:50:06 GMT -5
True but that was when OPM drove the bus A more applicable part to add to the testing process would be to give a sample decision draft riddled with errors, and ask applicants to revise it Maybe the applicants should see how many clay pots they can throw in a day or how many chickens they can debone? I agree with you - the job is not writing as much as it is proofreading, editing, and re-writing. |
|
|
|
Post by noah on Apr 12, 2022 2:58:47 GMT -5
SSA can save the time and trouble of reading hundreds of writing samples by simply hiring off the Register.
There is no other way to verify that an Applicant is submitting a writing sample that is actually THEIR writing sample.
|
|
|
|
Post by ssa on Apr 12, 2022 6:58:24 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Gaidin on Apr 12, 2022 8:08:11 GMT -5
Changing the topic a bit- my understanding is that the hearings in Puerto Rico are held in Spanish? So, what would be the legal impediment to having our Spanish speaking claimants that are being heard by phone or video being held by a Spanish speaking ALJ? Assuming those impediments are not too cumbersome, then I would suggest that the ability to speak Spanish should become a highly favored characteristic going forward in hiring. It is highly desirable but there aren't enough ALJs candidates who are bilingual in Spanish. I know the agency had to go substantially lower on the register score wise to fill PR slots for my class. I should point out that the judges in my class that went to PR were amazing and have had great careers so far. Just another data point that those scores weren't particularly aligned with actual ability. I know at least two Spanish fluent ALJs who have held remote hearings in Spanish off and on since before the pandemic. |
|
|
|
Post by Gaidin on Apr 12, 2022 8:13:16 GMT -5
There is no register but those names are on a list somewhere. |
|
|
|
Post by nylawyer on Apr 12, 2022 10:59:45 GMT -5
Changing the topic a bit- my understanding is that the hearings in Puerto Rico are held in Spanish? So, what would be the legal impediment to having our Spanish speaking claimants that are being heard by phone or video being held by a Spanish speaking ALJ? Assuming those impediments are not too cumbersome, then I would suggest that the ability to speak Spanish should become a highly favored characteristic going forward in hiring. It is highly desirable but there aren't enough ALJs candidates who are bilingual in Spanish. I know the agency had to go substantially lower on the register score wise to fill PR slots for my class. I should point out that the judges in my class that went to PR were amazing and have had great careers so far. Just another data point that those scores weren't particularly aligned with actual ability. I know at least two Spanish fluent ALJs who have held remote hearings in Spanish off and on since before the pandemic. Ah, but was it the old OPM process that was somehow not reaching down far enough to get to Spanish speaking ALJ candidates who might now be able to be hired? I don't know the answer myself. But given the extra cost, and inefficiency, of having translators for these hearings, it would strike me that it would be preferable for all if they could be held by a Spanish fluent ALJ. |
|
|
|
Post by natethegreat on Apr 12, 2022 16:28:56 GMT -5
It is highly desirable but there aren't enough ALJs candidates who are bilingual in Spanish. I know the agency had to go substantially lower on the register score wise to fill PR slots for my class. I should point out that the judges in my class that went to PR were amazing and have had great careers so far. Just another data point that those scores weren't particularly aligned with actual ability. I know at least two Spanish fluent ALJs who have held remote hearings in Spanish off and on since before the pandemic. Ah, but was it the old OPM process that was somehow not reaching down far enough to get to Spanish speaking ALJ candidates who might now be able to be hired? I don't know the answer myself. But given the extra cost, and inefficiency, of having translators for these hearings, it would strike me that it would be preferable for all if they could be held by a Spanish fluent ALJ. Would the decisions also be drafted in Spanish? I assume part of the hesitation to have hearing conducted entirely in Spanish with a bilingual ALJ is you would still have potential issues with case processing if everyone else (VHR,HO staff, etc.) weren't also bilingual. |
|
|
|
Post by nylawyer on Apr 12, 2022 18:13:10 GMT -5
I dont know what they currently do with the cases from Puerto Rico.
Ideally? The decisions should be drafted in Spanish. But, then again, ideally, the decisions should be getting translated and sent out in Spanish now.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gaidin on Apr 12, 2022 18:42:33 GMT -5
It is highly desirable but there aren't enough ALJs candidates who are bilingual in Spanish. I know the agency had to go substantially lower on the register score wise to fill PR slots for my class. I should point out that the judges in my class that went to PR were amazing and have had great careers so far. Just another data point that those scores weren't particularly aligned with actual ability. I know at least two Spanish fluent ALJs who have held remote hearings in Spanish off and on since before the pandemic. Ah, but was it the old OPM process that was somehow not reaching down far enough to get to Spanish speaking ALJ candidates who might now be able to be hired? I don't know the answer myself. But given the extra cost, and inefficiency, of having translators for these hearings, it would strike me that it would be preferable for all if they could be held by a Spanish fluent ALJ. For the PR cases they could down as far as they needed because the requirements for the PR hire is Spanish language fluency. It wasn't a separate register fluent candidates were on the register but only a fluent candidates name would appear for PR. Basically, when I was hired they dipped about 10ish points lower than the average for most other cities. My understanding is that the decision is written in English so that the District Court can review the decision. Those judges are amazing. They're holding a hearing in Spanish, reading medical records in English and Spanish, reviewing and editing the decision in English but also living in a Spanish dominant location. They were also bar none the funnest people in my ALJ class. |
|
|
|
Post by jagvet on Apr 12, 2022 19:04:26 GMT -5
I wonder if given the extra time needed in hearings and the dual-language, were the Puerto Rico ALJs required to do 50? I agree with my buddy @gaidin. Those PR ALJs were a lot of fun.
|
|
|
|
Post by nylawyer on Apr 12, 2022 21:33:10 GMT -5
If the hearings are conducted entirely in Spanish, why would they take longer than hearings conducted in English?
At my prior office I used an interpreter maybe once a month. At my current office I use an interpreter on probably close to 20% of my hearings, and no one ever suggested that we were expected to do fewer. (And with the phone hearings and phone interpreters, it definitely takes a lot longer). So I am guessing the Puerto Rico ALJs had the same expectation of 600 per year.
|
|
|
|
Post by jagvet on Apr 12, 2022 22:26:27 GMT -5
If the hearings are conducted entirely in Spanish, why would they take longer than hearings conducted in English? At my prior office I used an interpreter maybe once a month. At my current office I use an interpreter on probably close to 20% of my hearings, and no one ever suggested that we were expected to do fewer. (And with the phone hearings and phone interpreters, it definitely takes a lot longer). So I am guessing the Puerto Rico ALJs had the same expectation of 600 per year. Point well-taken, but I thought the MEs and VEs did English and the judges had to translate claimant and rep questions. I could be wrong about that. |
|
|
|
Post by operationalj on Apr 13, 2022 6:02:30 GMT -5
Hi everyone - I noticed some activity and thought I would check back in for the ALJ hiring! Let's see how all this goes.  As for what OHO is doing to handle the 'backlog,' someone had indicated possibly bringing back retired ALJs and that is happening. A LinkedIn connection announced in March 2022 that he was coming out of retirement to be a Senior ALJ, part-time. Next, I expect and hope, OHO hires new ALJs and support staff to handle this growing backlog. |
|
