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Post by zero on Mar 5, 2009 9:24:51 GMT -5
From www.sarasotaspeaks.com/node/34698Astrue gave an interview about 3-4 weeks ago discussing the aspects of the new Tampa Office. Tampa is in the lower third of the average processing times nationally (note that this appears to be the number SSA looks at to prioritize expansion resources. There are other links that give average processing times for all cities) The expansion office in Tampa will have 10 new judges. The Office is expected to open by Labor Day 2010. Will they hire the new Tampa judges off the next cert? I suspect not. Will they hire the new Tampa judges off this register on a later cert? I expect so. Will all the other announced expansion offices follow the same schedule/format? Probably not but this gives a point of reference. I expect Tampa will be one of the largest new hearing offices. |
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Post by Legal Beagle on Mar 5, 2009 9:41:39 GMT -5
At a briefing in Atlanta a couple of months ago for the Claimant's bar, mention was made of a proposed new hearing office in metro Atlanta - possibly Conyers or Covington.
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Post by brett5 on Mar 5, 2009 12:53:19 GMT -5
Does anyone know where the other hearing offices will be located?
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Post by zero on Mar 5, 2009 13:11:30 GMT -5
Grit your teeth PM: I'm going to import some info from an earlier thread to help the newbie: dallasweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=875&Itemid=1Some nuggets: SSA hired 190 ALJs last year but pulled 48 existing ALJs to train them. SSA has plans to expand the NHC in Falls Church, VA as well as open additional centers in Albuquerque and Chicago. In addition, the agency is working with the General Services Administration to establish new hearing offices in the most backlogged states: Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan and Ohio. Implemented procedures to allow attorney adjudicators to issue fully-favorable decisions -- over 24,000 decisions issued; Quoting Astrue: "the effects of an extended continuing resolution are clearly slowing our progress. We simply cannot address the challenges we face without adequate and timely funding. Many things we need to do, such as increase support staff and add new hearing offices, will not happen if Congress fails to pass an adequate appropriations bill by March." |
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Post by samone on Mar 5, 2009 13:42:44 GMT -5
Does anyone know when the cert. list will be sent to SSA?
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Post by Legal Beagle on Mar 5, 2009 13:49:10 GMT -5
In comparing the list of sites I put on my AR and the list that came with the NOR, there was one extra - Newport News, VA. This was not on the July list I am sure, because I certainly would have included it. Ergo, this is a new site.
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Post by odarite on Mar 5, 2009 21:36:30 GMT -5
Will they hire the new Tampa judges off the next cert? I suspect not. Will they hire the new Tampa judges off this register on a later cert? I expect so. I expect that this new office, as all new offices will be handled as follows: a posting will be made to all current AJs that they will be selecting a HOCALJ for the new office. A subsequent posting to all current ALJs will solicit applicants for the new office. Once they have done all that, then the possibility exists for selection off the register, but likely not until the office is open. That is, while the full size of a new office might be 10, they may be happy to get it off the ground with half that number or ALJs and then ramp up as the office learns its ropes. |
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Post by lawmaker on Mar 5, 2009 22:33:20 GMT -5
In comparing the list of sites I put on my AR and the list that came with the NOR, there was one extra - Newport News, VA. This was not on the July list I am sure, because I certainly would have included it. Ergo, this is a new site. Or more likely an old site with an established agency. Like the Coast Guard |
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Post by lawmaker on Mar 5, 2009 22:34:21 GMT -5
Does anyone know when the cert. list will be sent to SSA? Not to be glib, but: When SSA sends them the list of sites. |
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Post by decadealj on Mar 6, 2009 8:05:32 GMT -5
The only ALJs in Newport News are Department of Labor- I believe almost all vacancies for past 15 years have been by transfer from other agencies. The Coast Guard ALJ is in Norfolk and I believe of the 6 Coast Guard ALJs, 3 of the last 4 appointed were retired Coast Guard JAGs; other CG ALJs are in New Orleans, Baltimore, New York, Long Beach? and Seattle.
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Post by tyrionc on Mar 6, 2009 8:32:57 GMT -5
I do not believe any of the new offices are close enough to opening that they would be filled off of the next certificate. However, it may be helpful to understand how that issue was handled on the last certificates. The location of the new office (Seven Fields, PA), was not a choice on the list of geographic preferences. applicants who said they were willing to go to Pittsburgh were considered for the openings in Seven Fields (Seven Fields is located in the far north Pittsburgh suburbs)
That system works fine when the new office is in the same metro area as another office on the preference list, however some of the new offices that are to come online are quite far from any existing office (the new Tallahassee office comes to mind). I do not know how they would choose new judges for that office from a certificate since no one has stated geographic preference for it
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Post by lawmaker on Mar 6, 2009 22:34:14 GMT -5
The only ALJs in Newport News are Department of Labor- I believe almost all vacancies for past 15 years have been by transfer from other agencies. The Coast Guard ALJ is in Norfolk and I believe of the 6 Coast Guard ALJs, 3 of the last 4 appointed were retired Coast Guard JAGs; other CG ALJs are in New Orleans, Baltimore, New York, Long Beach? and Seattle. What happened, if anything, with the proposal to disband CG ALJ program and transfer it to NTSB? |
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Post by semipa on Mar 7, 2009 9:54:41 GMT -5
That proposal was in last year's House CG authorization bill, which was never enacted. The Senate bill did not have a similar provision.
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Post by lawmaker on Mar 7, 2009 12:01:14 GMT -5
That proposal was in last year's House CG authorization bill, which was never enacted. The Senate bill did not have a similar provision. What if anything did cg do to clean up the problem that prompted the House to suggest the change |
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Post by counselor95 on Mar 7, 2009 13:21:22 GMT -5
My understanding is that SSA does not want to staff a new office solely with new ALJs. Even for those familiar with the agency and disability regulations, there is at least a months-long (if not years-long) learning curve. Experienced ALJs can make the numbers at a new office right away, thereby justifying the existence of the new office.
Also, new ALJs need experienced ALJs as mentors. When the NHC in Falls Church was started, about 5-6 experienced ALJs were hired. Months later, at least one "newby" was added, but only after being hired/trained/stationed in another location initially.
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