gargoyle
Full Member
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Posts: 48
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Post by gargoyle on Apr 24, 2023 8:20:26 GMT -5
2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government
"SSA now ranks 17 amongst 17 large federal agencies."
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Post by Gaidin on Apr 24, 2023 8:46:35 GMT -5
I want to say this unequivocally it is still the best job I have ever had.
I have no doubt that our staff is under resourced.
The folks in the field offices have it even worse.
But the ALJs should be smiling and skipping to their home office desks every day.
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Post by ssaogc on Apr 24, 2023 9:19:36 GMT -5
At my location ALJs are largely happy but frustrated that they cannot execute their decisions or hold hearings that are scheduled.
The staff are extremely demoralized and un happy. I have never seen so many retirements including management and I am a reference for many folks looking to head to DHS, VA and DoD where the pay is better. The better employees have options and they are leaving. We are left with the employees who do not have the ability to leave
The quality of work when it comes to having cases prepared for hearings without needed development has decreased.
The last administration did a crappy job on labor relations. The damage was done. New administration has tried to right the ship but there is only so much that can be done by an Acting Commissioner.
This is not to say folks are not working hard. They are and we were #2 agency the public trusts second only to park service but the agency has really not cultivated their workforce to perform at its best.
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Dead Last
Apr 24, 2023 12:11:46 GMT -5
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Post by Maria C. on Apr 24, 2023 12:11:46 GMT -5
At my location ALJs are largely happy but frustrated that they cannot execute their decisions or hold hearings that are scheduled. . Can you elaborate? is it because of the lack of support staff needed to get cases ready for hearing or execute decisions? is this expected to impact case quota requirements? |
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Post by rightspeech on Apr 24, 2023 15:16:18 GMT -5
2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government "SSA now ranks 17 amongst 17 large federal agencies." Its not just operations weighing it down though OHO specifically at 404 of 432 Operations at 421 bottom 10% not great. ALJs are what 15% of OHO workforce? didn't bring it up much. If ALJs are overjoyed then everyone else must be very sad. HQ components are happier but not thrilled. You can talk about the last administration and current one trying to right the ship but scores went down from 2021 to 2022. Most of the labor issues never hit OHO. OHO never lost telework |
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Post by Gaidin on Apr 24, 2023 16:30:34 GMT -5
2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government "SSA now ranks 17 amongst 17 large federal agencies." Its not just operations weighing it down though OHO specifically at 404 of 432 Operations at 421 bottom 10% not great. ALJs are what 15% of OHO workforce? didn't bring it up much. If ALJs are overjoyed then everyone else must be very sad. HQ components are happier but not thrilled. You can talk about the last administration and current one trying to right the ship but scores went down from 2021 to 2022. Most of the labor issues never hit OHO. OHO never lost telework The lack of staffing is killing morale. We're losing so much staff and there is very little ability to replace those losses certainly not at the rate of loss. Then you add in things like HACPS rollout being rough, staff having to handle hearing reporter duties, and an end to maximum telework. There are offices where staff is compelled to work in the the office two days a week because of staff shortages. Those people are unhappy for good reason. |
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Dead Last
Apr 24, 2023 19:25:43 GMT -5
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Post by marathon on Apr 24, 2023 19:25:43 GMT -5
At my location ALJs are largely happy but frustrated that they cannot execute their decisions or hold hearings that are scheduled. Your mileage may vary. Not all hearing offices are created equal. Our staff are demoralized, in addition to other reasons noted, because poor performers are shuffled rather than appropriately managed. Being asked to do 3 jobs while someone is getting paid the same GS rate to do nothing? Or worse, supervisors making 100k+ “delegating” assignment/supervisory duties to GS 8s? |
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Post by jagvet on Apr 24, 2023 19:34:37 GMT -5
I don't do these surveys anymore. They are pretty much a waste of time. The politicos and high-level careerists will do what they want anyway.
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Post by banks on Apr 25, 2023 10:55:21 GMT -5
"I want to say this unequivocally it is still the best job I have ever had."
I'm glad it worked out for you and you are happy. I was in the same application pool as you and tested in Washington. I did not get an ALJ job and after working as a decision writer for a short time, I realized that I was not cut out for it. It was beyond the toxic work environment--I think I would not have been happy even in a healthy environment. I'm back to happily litigating, which is a much better fit.
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Post by hoosierdaddy on Apr 27, 2023 21:16:11 GMT -5
Out of curiosity, is there any way to find out what are, generally speaking, the "good" and "bad" offices (ie. decent environment/decision writers/support staff)? I got interviewed and it'd be great to know if (ha ha) I get an offer that it'll be at an office worth giving up what I've got. I actually enjoy what I am doing currently, at least most days.
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Dead Last
Apr 27, 2023 21:43:51 GMT -5
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Post by seaprongs on Apr 27, 2023 21:43:51 GMT -5
Out of curiosity, is there any way to find out what are, generally speaking, the "good" and "bad" offices (ie. decent environment/decision writers/support staff)? I got interviewed and it'd be great to know if (ha ha) I get an offer that it'll be at an office worth giving up what I've got. I actually enjoy what I am doing currently, at least most days. "Good" and "bad" vary depending on who you ask. There are too many OHO offices to keep track anyway. Even within some offices, your experience varies depending on your first line supervisor. Generally, I've had good luck with management leaving me alone to do my job. That said, I've done a few details in different parts of the agency, and nearly across the board, the vast majority of people want to get the right result, and many are willing to help out new writers. My best advice is to ask a lot of questions and try to implement suggestions a senior attorney might give you when they review your work. I think you'll find many writers will be willing to share tips, resources, links, and language they frequently use, so don't be afraid to email or Skype. Good luck, and hope to see you aboard. It's a pretty good job despite the gripes (and you're probably well aware of those if you've discovered this board). |
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Post by banks on Apr 27, 2023 23:17:59 GMT -5
"I actually enjoy what I am doing currently, at least most days."
I think it's important to ask yourself what it is that you enjoy and why and see if those activities/skills will correlate with potential new jobs.
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Post by elninost0rm on Apr 28, 2023 9:04:31 GMT -5
2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government "SSA now ranks 17 amongst 17 large federal agencies." Its not just operations weighing it down though OHO specifically at 404 of 432 Operations at 421 bottom 10% not great. ALJs are what 15% of OHO workforce? didn't bring it up much. If ALJs are overjoyed then everyone else must be very sad. HQ components are happier but not thrilled. You can talk about the last administration and current one trying to right the ship but scores went down from 2021 to 2022. Most of the labor issues never hit OHO. OHO never lost telework As a member of support staff, now HOMS, this is factually incorrect, if you're referring to the Saul era. All of support staff in Region 3 was massively curtailed to one day per pay period until COVID hit, and this was despite the telework pilot being introduced all the way back in 2015 or 2016, with 3 days a week being optimal and working just fine. |
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Post by carrickfergus on Apr 28, 2023 11:09:59 GMT -5
At my location ALJs are largely happy but frustrated that they cannot execute their decisions or hold hearings that are scheduled. . Can you elaborate? is it because of the lack of support staff needed to get cases ready for hearing or execute decisions? is this expected to impact case quota requirements? I asked mgmt. why about only 1/2 the number of cases I requested were docketed, was told it was because there aren't enough support staff to work up more than that. |
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Post by bettrlatethannevr on Apr 28, 2023 11:33:10 GMT -5
Saul limited OHO telework dramatically. Also tried things like centralized scheduling. Just mentioning because the poor and predictable results of management mistakes need to be remembered.
Staffing is really bad but I think they’re now trying hard to fix it. ALJ position is still a great job so long as you remember we exist to ignore rather than comply with bureaucrats’ attempts to influence. IMO internal job satisfaction, even pride, can coexist with being employed in the worst run federal agency in the country.
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Dead Last
Apr 28, 2023 13:30:06 GMT -5
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Post by nylawyer on Apr 28, 2023 13:30:06 GMT -5
Can you elaborate? is it because of the lack of support staff needed to get cases ready for hearing or execute decisions? is this expected to impact case quota requirements? I asked mgmt. why about only 1/2 the number of cases I requested were docketed, was told it was because there aren't enough support staff to work up more than that. Gee, if only there were some device that would allow claimants and representatives who have cases pending in other offices to have their hearings before you without having to travel. |
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Post by barkley on Apr 29, 2023 8:03:49 GMT -5
I asked mgmt. why about only 1/2 the number of cases I requested were docketed, was told it was because there aren't enough support staff to work up more than that. Gee, if only there were some device that would allow claimants and representatives who have cases pending in other offices to have their hearings before you without having to travel. Funny you should mention that. Pre-COVID, my office, which has a smaller population base that we serve, FREQUENTLY would get 600-1,000 cases shipped in to hear from offices with more robust workloads. The redistribution of the workload helped us keep busy and helped reduce wait times from the offices we were helping. During and since COVID, there have been many months wherein I have been given just three or four docket days instead of the seven or eight I request. A few months, I only had two days docketed. But when I talk to friends in other offices, some report they have seen no change in the number of dockets they receive. I have never understood why in days of plenty, we always helped out other offices with their workloads, but now there are no efforts to even cases out. |
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Dead Last
Apr 29, 2023 9:20:26 GMT -5
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Post by dshawn on Apr 29, 2023 9:20:26 GMT -5
Nowhere to go but up?
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Post by Topperlaw on Apr 29, 2023 11:36:16 GMT -5
I think it's mostly a function of support staff pay and expectations. Case techs being hired in as GS 5 and being expected to take 10 hearings a week but also do everything else a case tech is supposed to do all because Stratcom wouldn't hire enough VHRs.
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Post by rmspringfield on Apr 29, 2023 12:48:24 GMT -5
bestplacestowork.org/rankings/?view=overall&size=sub&category=leadership&y=21&Its not just operations weighing it down though OHO specifically at 404 of 432 Operations at 421 bottom 10% not great. ALJs are what 15% of OHO workforce? didn't bring it up much. If ALJs are overjoyed then everyone else must be very sad. HQ components are happier but not thrilled. You can talk about the last administration and current one trying to right the ship but scores went down from 2021 to 2022. Most of the labor issues never hit OHO. OHO never lost telework As a member of support staff, now HOMS, this is factually incorrect, if you're referring to the Saul era. All of support staff in Region 3 was massively curtailed to one day per pay period until COVID hit, and this was despite the telework pilot being introduced all the way back in 2015 or 2016, with 3 days a week being optimal and working just fine. I remember that. There was a big push in Region 4 to curtail telework to the point the rumor was they were confiscating government issued laptops. In my local HO they had a brand new building built circa 2018. When they curtailed telework they found a problem. The brand new building with the brand new parking deck didn't have enough parking for everyone because the architects had figured in telework to right size the number of parking spaces needed.... Then COVID hit. They had to give the laptops back and the parking deck is now a ghost town. |
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