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Post by hopefalj on Sept 11, 2023 19:50:38 GMT -5
Great thread lots of good information. I know the HOCALJs I have had have some telework. Are they required to come into the office a certain number of day (besides in person hearings).? I have seen a couple of announcements but they were all in remote areas except for the one in Denver. I’m not going to directly answer your question, but your post reminded me of something. I don’t have any personal knowledge of the situation, but I do believe Denver has come open several times in the last few years. There is usually a reason (or reasons) for this, and they’re almost never good. I was in an office with revolving GSs because their job was nearly impossible. Caveat emptor in a situation like that. |
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Post by ssaogc on Sept 12, 2023 10:18:20 GMT -5
Great thread lots of good information. I know the HOCALJs I have had have some telework. Are they required to come into the office a certain number of day (besides in person hearings).? I have seen a couple of announcements but they were all in remote areas except for the one in Denver. I’m not going to directly answer your question, but your post reminded me of something. I don’t have any personal knowledge of the situation, but I do believe Denver has come open several times in the last few years. There is usually a reason (or reasons) for this, and they’re almost never good. I was in an office with revolving GSs because their job was nearly impossible. Caveat emptor in a situation like that. Yes I have seen that. Twice in last four years. I suspect being co-located with Regional Office might have something to do with that. |
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Post by arkstfan on Sept 18, 2023 20:35:04 GMT -5
There are a lot of issues here, but there are very legitimate reasons why HOCALJ and other true management ALJs (not including NHC ALJs for these purposes) should be doing less cases. They do in fact have numerous, time consuming activities that line ALJs just don't have. It's not that unusual to see the agency solicit HOCALJ positions multiple times because no one in the office wants the hassle and no one willing to deal with the hassles wants to relocate to that office. I sure as heck don't want the job. |
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Post by pumpkin on Sept 19, 2023 20:00:50 GMT -5
I am grateful for our HOCALJ who is willing to "deal with the hassles" for essentially no more money than ALJs who are at the top of the pay scale. I believe the HOCALJ should be paid more for handling the "terrible twos" of management: (1) problem employees at the local level; and (2) carrying out the directives from Region/OCALJ, particularly the ones the HOCALJ him/herself thinks are unnecessary and/or are likely to adversely affect morale.
If TPTB decided HOCALJs shouldn't hold any more than 5 hearings/month, I wouldn't be mad about it. The only benefit to the HOCALJ holding hearings is that he or she gets to experience firsthand the crummy VE's, the obstreperous representatives, and the less-than-stellar VHRs. I have no doubt that there's more than enough management work to keep a HOCALJ busy without prepping for and holding hearings.
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Post by ba on Sept 20, 2023 1:10:21 GMT -5
I am grateful for our HOCALJ who is willing to "deal with the hassles" for essentially no more money than ALJs who are at the top of the pay scale. I believe the HOCALJ should be paid more for handling the "terrible twos" of management: (1) problem employees at the local level; and (2) carrying out the directives from Region/OCALJ, particularly the ones the HOCALJ him/herself thinks are unnecessary and/or are likely to adversely affect morale. If TPTB decided HOCALJs shouldn't hold any more than 5 hearings/month, I wouldn't be mad about it. The only benefit to the HOCALJ holding hearings is that he or she gets to experience firsthand the crummy VE's, the obstreperous representatives, and the less-than-stellar VHRs. I have no doubt that there's more than enough management work to keep a HOCALJ busy without prepping for and holding hearings. I’d respectfully suggest that it should also be the HOCALJ that pushes back when a regional directive is not appropriate and likely to adversely affect morale. The HOCALJ is on the ground with all the surrounding circumstances, not simply looking at a report or counting beans. What gets up region’s dander is not necessarily the most important thing and a HOCALJ that simply functions as a flunky for thoughtlessly imposing region’s will is doing a disservice. |
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Post by barkley on Sept 24, 2023 18:17:02 GMT -5
As someone who has worked for good HOCALJs and bad HOCALJs and is currently working for a flunky, I don't see that they should get a break in the number of cases. A good HOCALJ is producing anyway, and a flunky HOCALJ actively interferes with the ability of the line judges to do their jobs effectively. Sometimes I just shake my head at the degrees from RO that he shares that do not apply to us and only make hard working people upset.
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