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Post by semipa on Jan 31, 2009 22:13:18 GMT -5
Take a look at this link to an interview by Government Executive with Commissioner Astrue. www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=41930&dcn=agencynews_SSAHere's an excerpt: "Astrue said the agency plans to hire up to 155 additional administrative law judges this fiscal year to help address the backlog and influx of cases. In March, the Office of Personnel Management -- the agency charged with reviewing applications and screening potential ALJs -- will reopen the examination process and submit qualified candidates to SSA for review, he said. But because the new judges need to be hired, relocated and trained, Astrue said, they likely won't start contributing to reducing the backlog until next year. The agency currently employs about 1,200 ALJs." |
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Post by workdrone on Feb 1, 2009 1:12:50 GMT -5
Interesting read. Thanks!
;D
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Post by zero on Feb 2, 2009 8:46:40 GMT -5
"will reopen the examination process" is confusing to me. It suggests that OPM will launch a new round from USAJobs.opm.gov (not USAjobs.gov-see earlier posts).
I think what this means is that SSA is expecting a cert in March.
Interesting that earlier articles discussed the new facilities but this one made no mention of them.
Does oracle Pixie have any info on the new facilities?
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Post by aljsouth on Feb 2, 2009 21:41:00 GMT -5
"will reopen the examination process" is confusing to me. It suggests that OPM will launch a new round from USAJobs.opm.gov (not USAjobs.gov-see earlier posts). I think what this means is that SSA is expecting a cert in March. Interesting that earlier articles discussed the new facilities but this one made no mention of them. Does oracle Pixie have any info on the new facilities? Obviously not Pixie; but Region 4 chief said the site survey for Atanta South has been completed. I suspect the same is true for the new FL site as well. If the money is there the agency will push for quick opening -- which used to mean 18 months to 2 years; but may be faster with this COSS breathing down their necks to get them open. New offices are usually filled by transfer but, of course, that will create openings in existing offices for new hires. |
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Post by jagghagg on Feb 3, 2009 10:49:32 GMT -5
I am told (today) that the Chief Judge (Cristaudo) told the SSA ALJ corps that the SSA hire for FY 2009 will be at 116.
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Post by chieftain on Feb 3, 2009 11:24:26 GMT -5
And if so, that tends to argue in favor of a February cert, in which the agency knows the 16 it will be able to select off the cert before the new candidates are added. Otherwise, why such an odd number?
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Post by privateatty on Feb 3, 2009 12:06:06 GMT -5
The COSS says 155, the Chief Judge says 116. What gives? Is Baltimore talking to Falls Church?
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Post by alj on Feb 3, 2009 14:14:37 GMT -5
Usually the more current the information, the more accurate it is.
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Post by privateatty on Feb 3, 2009 18:53:23 GMT -5
So they don't have the budget for the "missing" 39 or is it the class size vis a vie trainers? And the Feb/Mar cert is part of the 116? Is this the road to 1200 SSA ALJs?
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Post by aljsouth on Feb 3, 2009 22:53:11 GMT -5
Rumor I heard is a July training class and an August training Class, total of about 120.
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Post by nonamouse on Feb 4, 2009 17:02:01 GMT -5
Rumor I heard is a July training class and an August training Class, total of about 120. The 120 number is too high for just 2 training sessions if it is run like the last year. My "class" was the largest and we were about 54 total, but split into two rooms most of the time. There was not room for more tables in those rooms. It also taxes the support staff trying to deal with that many new ALJs at once for all of their "issues." Maybe they will try to cram additional people into each class by getting larger rooms, but I would not count on it. |
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Post by morgullord on Feb 5, 2009 13:14:16 GMT -5
This morning, CoSS said that 155 new ALJs would be hired in FY09. A member of OCALJ stated that training classes will be in July, August, and September.
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Post by samone on Feb 6, 2009 12:57:15 GMT -5
Is today the last day for the SI?
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Post by chieftain on Feb 6, 2009 12:59:39 GMT -5
I interviews are going on for another week.
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Post by okeydokey on Feb 6, 2009 15:31:50 GMT -5
Longer than a week, I think. A collegue of mine had to reschedule and his SI is February 18.
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Post by flannery on Feb 8, 2009 10:23:45 GMT -5
IMHO, the reason the rumors as to the figure (i.e., 87, 155, 116, 120, even 200) seem to change almost daily isn't because the rumors are inaccurate, but rather because the figure really does change frequently and things are very, very fluid. Think about the perfect storm we're in with the budget and even the global economy and it makes sense to acknowledge the figure is changing frequently because circumstances are changing frequently. Think also about the source for these rumors--more often than not, it's a very highly placed SSA or ODAR exec who cites a figure in a formal speech to nosscar or at some sort of official function within ODAR--these execs are certainly unimpeachable sources so to speak--and yet the figures they cite have changed several times without explanation. This is a rare and strange time we're in, with Congress meeting on a Saturday and the global economy falling apart. I will bet on the timelines involved, but not on the hiring figure.  |
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Post by alj on Feb 9, 2009 13:55:32 GMT -5
IMHO, the reason the rumors as to the figure (i.e., 87, 155, 116, 120, even 200) seem to change almost daily isn't because the rumors are inaccurate, but rather because the figure really does change frequently and things are very, very fluid. Think about the perfect storm we're in with the budget and even the global economy and it makes sense to acknowledge the figure is changing frequently because circumstances are changing frequently. Think also about the source for these rumors--more often than not, it's a very highly placed SSA or ODAR exec who cites a figure in a formal speech to nosscar or at some sort of official function within ODAR--these execs are certainly unimpeachable sources so to speak--and yet the figures they cite have changed several times without explanation. This is a rare and strange time we're in, with Congress meeting on a Saturday and the global economy falling apart. I will bet on the timelines involved, but not on the hiring figure. Yes, Flannery, the numbers keep changing. Or rather the numbers that are cited keep changing. Until the budget is set, nothing is set. |
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Post by southernmiss on Feb 9, 2009 22:16:53 GMT -5
Re: the lat SI-I just took mine last week and was told they would be through by the end of this week.
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Post by zero on Feb 10, 2009 9:15:24 GMT -5
Re: the lat SI-I just took mine last week and was told they would be through by the end of this week. This is a nice nugget of info! Thanks SM! |
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