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Post by Ace Midnight on Oct 7, 2024 12:40:22 GMT -5
To all applicants:  |
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Post by workdrone on Oct 7, 2024 12:44:12 GMT -5
What does someone who never litigated do to find three opposing attorneys? I have heard of candidates who practice in SSA disability area who put down additional ALJs, GS and HODs as references. YMMV. |
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Post by tripper on Oct 7, 2024 13:03:40 GMT -5
What does someone who never litigated do to find three opposing attorneys? I have heard of candidates who practice in SSA disability area who put down additional ALJs, GS and HODs as references. YMMV. 100%. Worked for me. Having GOOD references rather checking the box of the “should” will serve you well. |
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Post by anciano on Oct 7, 2024 13:33:33 GMT -5
For what it is worth, the following are the available transfer list offices. More could be added. To the extent that transfers are granted to a transferee, the losing office may become available for a new hire. If transferees do not accept an offer to an office on this list, then it most likely will be offered to the new hires. Good luck.
Region 2
• Buffalo, NY • Jamaica, NY (Queens Hearing
Office)
• Rochester, NY • San Juan, PR • Syracuse, NY
Region 3
• Charleston, WV • Huntington, WV • Johnstown, PA • Morgantown, WV
Region 4
• Memphis, TN • Middlesboro, KY • Montgomery, AL • Paducah, KY
Region 5
• Cincinnati, OH • Columbus, OH • Dayton, OH • Fort Wayne, IN • Livonia, MI • Peoria, IL • Toledo, OH • Valparaiso, IN
Region 6
• Dallas, TX (Dallas North Hearing
Office)
• Little Rock, AR • Tulsa, OK
Region 7
• Springfield, MO • Topeka, KS • Wichita, KS
Region 8
• Billings, MT • Boise, ID • Fargo, ND • Sioux Falls, SD
Region
9
• Fresno, CA • Las Vegas, NV • Long Beach, CA • Phoenix, AZ (Phoenix North
Hearing Office)
• Reno, NV • Santa Barbara, CA • Stockton, CA
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Post by ewartdunlop on Oct 7, 2024 14:01:13 GMT -5
This is my second time applying (applied in 2022). I worked as a claimant attorney for seven years and now have been an attorney adviser/decision writer for six years. Last time I got my application in just under the wire when I saw the window was prematurely closing, but my essays were not in great shape since I was planning on finishing them the following day - some were only a few generic sentences. I got a confirmation that I was qualified for the ALJ position but never got an interview and I wasn’t expecting one. In the interim, I worked on those essays and they’re in pretty good shape - the new questions are very similar to the old ones, so I should be able to mostly use the work I’ve done. It strikes me that a lot of these applications are bound to look a lot alike! Does anyone know what makes someone a good candidate? Is it really mostly a matter of writing good essay responses, having a solid resume, and/or having great references? Or is there some secret sauce that’s undefinable? (Please don’t take this as a request for disallowed information. Just some general advice is extremely welcome; I intend to use these three days to make my materials look as good as I can.) I litigate a decent amount as a fed and I don't feel comfortable listing any opposing attorney because literally every litigation matter I've dealt with that involved opposing counsel never involved the same lawyer twice. I'm supposed to list some rando 1st year employment associate from a mill from 2 years ago? I’m not sure this is in reference to what I wrote, but I did take the advice from elsewhere and just used the folks most likely to give me a good reference rather than trying to meet the category requirements. |
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Post by Gaidin on Oct 7, 2024 14:21:26 GMT -5
Use 9 folks who can attest to your work product. Ideally, they will fit the bill but at the end of the day they are more concerned about folks who know your work product.
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Post by neufenland on Oct 7, 2024 14:36:54 GMT -5
I am 99% sure I know the answer to this, but your locality pay rate is based on where the Hearing Office is located, right? Even if you AWS most of the time from a different location?
I spent so long thinking about commutes, I didn’t bother to check that detail until recently, and it’s a limiting factor. If I’m wrong, though, please correct me.
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Post by rmspringfield on Oct 7, 2024 14:44:15 GMT -5
I am 99% sure I know the answer to this, but your locality pay rate is based on where the Hearing Office is located, right? Even if you AWS most of the time from a different location? I spent so long thinking about commutes, I didn’t bother to check that detail until recently, and it’s a limiting factor. If I’m wrong, though, please correct me. That is correct. Locality pay is determined by ODS. However if you are not in person 2 days per pay period they can adjust your locality pay to the locality pay for your ADS. So if your ADS is in a higher rate of locality pay than your ODS it can work against you. Or if your ODS is in a higher locality pay area than your ADS you may need to make the decision to go to the office 2 days per pay period if it makes financial sense for you. |
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Post by nighthawk9903 on Oct 7, 2024 14:53:33 GMT -5
I am 99% sure I know the answer to this, but your locality pay rate is based on where the Hearing Office is located, right? Even if you AWS most of the time from a different location? I spent so long thinking about commutes, I didn’t bother to check that detail until recently, and it’s a limiting factor. If I’m wrong, though, please correct me. That is correct. Locality pay is determined by ODS. However if you are not in person 2 days per pay period they can adjust your locality pay to the locality pay for your ADS. So if your ADS is in a higher rate of locality pay than your ODS it can work against you. Or if your ODS is in a higher locality pay area than your ADS you may need to make the decision to go to the office 2 days per pay period if it makes financial sense for you. What’s the current rule/vibe on remote work—how many days per week or pay period are you expected to be in your duty station? This would definitely impact the location(s) I put down. |
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Post by trp888 on Oct 7, 2024 14:56:35 GMT -5
Lawyering 101 - read all the small print:
“If you are unable to provide three (3) references for each type, for instance, if you are self-employed and do not have a supervisor, you may substitute a different reference type and should select "Other" as the reference type.”
Just hit the “other” option for any references that do not fit into any of the 3 categories and you’re good. Submitting less than 9 is a no go, but 3 of each category is not necessary.
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Post by johnthornton on Oct 7, 2024 14:56:58 GMT -5
<What’s the current rule/vibe on remote work—how many days per week or pay period are you expected to be in your duty station? This would definitely impact the location(s) I put down.>>
It depends on the office. I have in person hearings 4-6 days per month. Other offices have fewer in person hearings.
If you are not doing in person, you are able to work at home.
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Post by neufenland on Oct 7, 2024 15:09:50 GMT -5
I am 99% sure I know the answer to this, but your locality pay rate is based on where the Hearing Office is located, right? Even if you AWS most of the time from a different location? I spent so long thinking about commutes, I didn’t bother to check that detail until recently, and it’s a limiting factor. If I’m wrong, though, please correct me. That is correct. Locality pay is determined by ODS. However if you are not in person 2 days per pay period they can adjust your locality pay to the locality pay for your ADS. So if your ADS is in a higher rate of locality pay than your ODS it can work against you. Or if your ODS is in a higher locality pay area than your ADS you may need to make the decision to go to the office 2 days per pay period if it makes financial sense for you. But if your ODS is in a lower area than the ADS, and you spend fewer than two days per pay period in the office (say you do twice a month, which is one day per pp) you can get the higher rate for your ADS location? I assume you really have no way of knowing how much in-office time (vs telework) is needed until after you are onboard. |
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Post by Gaidin on Oct 7, 2024 15:29:03 GMT -5
That is correct. Locality pay is determined by ODS. However if you are not in person 2 days per pay period they can adjust your locality pay to the locality pay for your ADS. So if your ADS is in a higher rate of locality pay than your ODS it can work against you. Or if your ODS is in a higher locality pay area than your ADS you may need to make the decision to go to the office 2 days per pay period if it makes financial sense for you. But if your ODS is in a lower area than the ADS, and you spend fewer than two days per pay period in the office (say you do twice a month, which is one day per pp) you can get the higher rate for your ADS location? I assume you really have no way of knowing how much in-office time (vs telework) is needed until after you are onboard. I have never heard of the agency doing that. Basically, you should expect to get the locality pay for the office. As discussed in other threads the ability to telework will depend in part on the opposition of the administration. You guys should have plenty of time to adjust your availability downward depending on the results in November. |
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Post by rmspringfield on Oct 7, 2024 15:30:50 GMT -5
That is correct. Locality pay is determined by ODS. However if you are not in person 2 days per pay period they can adjust your locality pay to the locality pay for your ADS. So if your ADS is in a higher rate of locality pay than your ODS it can work against you. Or if your ODS is in a higher locality pay area than your ADS you may need to make the decision to go to the office 2 days per pay period if it makes financial sense for you. But if your ODS is in a lower area than the ADS, and you spend fewer than two days per pay period in the office (say you do twice a month, which is one day per pp) you can get the higher rate for your ADS location? I assume you really have no way of knowing how much in-office time (vs telework) is needed until after you are onboard. In theory, that is correct. My situation is my ODS locality pay is significantly higher than my ADS locality pay. And I was informed of this technicality in the telework agreement pretty quickly. I have heard of it also working in reverse. But keep in mind. While the ALJs have control over which days we hold hearings, we have zero control over which days are in person vs virtual. The Union contract does state that mixed modality days should not be scheduled without ALJ consent. (So in theory you shouldn’t get stuck with going in the office for a full telephone day just to be in the courtroom for the one mandatory in person hearing that’s been rescheduled 5x already due to no shows and issues with the hearing notice going to the wrong address.) |
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Post by tripper on Oct 7, 2024 15:31:29 GMT -5
<What’s the current rule/vibe on remote work—how many days per week or pay period are you expected to be in your duty station? This would definitely impact the location(s) I put down.>> It depends on the office. I have in person hearings 4-6 days per month. Other offices have fewer in person hearings. If you are not doing in person, you are able to work at home. And I only have in-person hearings about once a month. Varies widely by office. |
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Post by johnthornton on Oct 7, 2024 15:33:58 GMT -5
I read that in person hearings nationwide were only 16% of all hearings. In my office, they are probably 35%.
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Post by rmspringfield on Oct 7, 2024 15:51:02 GMT -5
<What’s the current rule/vibe on remote work—how many days per week or pay period are you expected to be in your duty station? This would definitely impact the location(s) I put down.>> It depends on the office. I have in person hearings 4-6 days per month. Other offices have fewer in person hearings. If you are not doing in person, you are able to work at home. And I only have in-person hearings about once a month. Varies widely by office. Exactly this. My office seems to have a lot of mandatory in person hearings. I have some colleagues that haven’t been to their ODS since ALJ onboarding. YMMV. |
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Post by ewartdunlop on Oct 7, 2024 16:10:49 GMT -5
And I only have in-person hearings about once a month. Varies widely by office. Exactly this. My office seems to have a lot of mandatory in person hearings. I have some colleagues that haven’t been to their ODS since ALJ onboarding. YMMV. In those cases it seems like your OHO barely matters |
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Post by Prrple on Oct 7, 2024 16:16:31 GMT -5
I wish vet preference still mattered  |
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td37
Full Member
Posts: 43 
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Post by td37 on Oct 7, 2024 16:37:15 GMT -5
It does matter if they enforce the standard 2 hours commuting time requirement though. Realistically the agency could be moving rapidly towards 100% remote hearings, or drastically cut back on telework across the board up to and including eliminating it entirely for all positions, depending entirely on the election outcome. I don't know how that's helpful for any of us trying to make a decision, but it's the accurate state of the land.
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