"New" Geographic Preferences Submitted July 2008

[chieftain]

PF,

I remember asking the same question when changes could be submitted in July. I can't find the original ALJ opening announcement but I seem to recall language in it that suggested changes would be take effect immediately. I recognize that this is not much to hang your hat on, but there is no real reason to delay making these changes, as other agencies also hire off the register. Have you checked with the ALJ Application Help Desk?

[jcse]

My question is, if you can only change your geographic preferences when the ALJ exam vacancy announcement "opens" next time, does that mean, in effect, that you will have to "reapply" and if you've already made it onto the Register, how does that affect your position on the register?

It would seem to me that it would be to OPM's benefit (as well as the Agencies it serves) if the applicant decided to expand his/her geographic preferences; so why the restrictions?

[pm]

No, you do not have to reapply in order to change your geo prefernces.

It's not to OPM's benefit to produce more work for itself.

I don't see how it benefits an agency to have applicants change geo prefernces. It seems to be an agency neutral exercise.

[jcse]

I didn't mean change as in alter/subtract, I said expand (the list already submitted). If only a small percentage of applicants sign up for North Dakota, and I want to expand my geo. to include that, why would that not benefit the Agency that needs an ALJ up there?

[chieftain]

jcse, based upon polls taken on this board during the last go-round, you will find that there are dozens of people willing to go to each and every city, including Fargo. So expanding your geographical preferences won't really fill a void anywhere because there are no voids.

[pm]

Jan 7, 2009 13:50:00 GMT -5 jcse said:

I didn't mean change as in alter/subtract, I said expand (the list already submitted). If only a small percentage of applicants sign up for North Dakota, and I want to expand my geo. to include that, why would that not benefit the Agency that needs an ALJ up there?

Ditto what Chieftain said. But many poeple would also shrink their geo preferences so there would never be an obvious benefit to any agency.

Also, the agencies do not keep the register. OPM does. And OPM does not care if opening or closing geo preferences might benefit an agency. It would just be more work for OPM.

[jcse]

I am not disagreeing with you Chieftan, but if what you say is true, that there are dozens waiting for every city, and that there are no voids, why is there a shortage of ALJs? Why was the register reopened?

[privateatty]

Read 319 F.3d 1368 for part of the sad story as to a shortage of ALJ's. OPM shut down the application process for approximately 10 years, although there was a brief window of reopening in 2005, I think, for SSA. The register was re-opened due to political pressure and necessity, although OPM pays scant attention to the latter.

You must know how long (4 days?) the application process was open in 2007 and 2008.

[chieftain]

Not only was the register reopened for the first time in yrears, but the old register was scrapped, forcing a large number who were on the register to reapply to be on the new one.