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Post by jagghagg on Mar 17, 2009 12:31:48 GMT -5
Please. The "Notification to ALJ Candidate" e-mails are NOT - repeat - NOT an invitation to an interview. It is a precursor. Fill out all the paperwork and get it back in before the deadline and then phone calls will begin to schedule you for an interview.
Breathe! Breathe!
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Post by jagghagg on Mar 17, 2009 13:17:13 GMT -5
It has been determined that there are 6 people over at SSA trying to get these notifications out. It will not be until tomorrow that they will all be sent.
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Post by northwest on Mar 17, 2009 13:19:40 GMT -5
The notice says: " The entrance base salary for an ALJ is $102,400 per year plus locality pay based on geographic location. " How does this square with the chart at www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/html/alj_loc.asp which says that the January 2009 pay will be $116,593 for the rest of the US, and higher for locations with locality pay? |
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Post by aljsouth on Mar 17, 2009 13:32:06 GMT -5
The notice says: " The entrance base salary for an ALJ is $102,400 per year plus locality pay based on geographic location. " How does this square with the chart at www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/html/alj_loc.asp which says that the January 2009 pay will be $116,593 for the rest of the US, and higher for locations with locality pay? Rest of the US is a geographic location. Everyone gets locality pay and the rest of US is the the base salary plus locality pay. |
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Post by Legal Beagle on Mar 17, 2009 14:17:27 GMT -5
Meaning $102,400 plus $116,593  !!!! |
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Post by jagghagg on Mar 17, 2009 14:33:09 GMT -5
Here is your basic rate of pay without locality. www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/pdf/alj.pdfWhere you start on the scale depends on if you are already a federal employee. If you are coming in from the outside, and are in private practice, they will ask you to submit your income for the last couple of years; if you are a state employee, they will ask for your last pay stub so they can see your base pay; same for if you are a fed. Then - for those who have a set salary, you will be offered a position at the closest level/rate without going UNDER it. For those who are in private practice, it is a little more difficult, but the same principle applies - they will determine what your "salary" was and offer you a position - if they offer you a position - as close to what you are making without going under it. |
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Post by sharonzano on Mar 17, 2009 15:18:14 GMT -5
How does one progress fr AL-3/A to B, C, D, E, F, 2, 1? |
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Post by privateatty on Mar 17, 2009 16:07:17 GMT -5
Here is your basic rate of pay without locality. www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/pdf/alj.pdfWhere you start on the scale depends on if you are already a federal employee. If you are coming in from the outside, and are in private practice, they will ask you to submit your income for the last couple of years; if you are a state employee, they will ask for your last pay stub so they can see your base pay; same for if you are a fed. Then - for those who have a set salary, you will be offered a position at the closest level/rate without going UNDER it. For those who are in private practice, it is a little more difficult, but the same principle applies - they will determine what your "salary" was and offer you a position - if they offer you a position - as close to what you are making without going under it. Will they accept tax returns? That's all I have as I'm a sole proprietor. |
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Post by workdrone on Mar 17, 2009 16:25:45 GMT -5
Will they accept tax returns? That's all I have as I'm a sole proprietor. Discuss with them after you get the offer, it doesn't hurt to ask. Although I think most people starts at 3/A, period (the agency may offer you a higher rate, but I don't believe they exercise that discretion very often - other than a former GS-15 that started as 3/B, the other new ALJs I know all started at 3/A). |
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Post by vand**e on Mar 17, 2009 16:25:47 GMT -5
Sharonzano - 3 A-F are regular ALJ positions and 1 and 2 are management. As I understand it you advance a letter (grade) level per year for the first three years (starting at A and ending at D). Then you advance a grade every two years (ending in F after four years). The journey from A to F takes seven years total and the rise in Grade is automatic with time served. At level F you are at the federal government's salary cap when you add in locality adjustment. Hope this helps.
Van
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Post by privateatty on Mar 17, 2009 16:31:42 GMT -5
Thanks 'drone for your kind and helpful posts.
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Post by jagghagg on Mar 17, 2009 17:24:19 GMT -5
Actually, 'Drone, they match pay far more often than you seem to think. Of all my friends who have become ALJs while in federal service, none were started at the bottom and all were matched as I have described.
Ah'm jes sayin'.....
And yes, they will look at whatever documentation you provide...
But we are getting ahead of ourselves here.
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Post by workdrone on Mar 17, 2009 17:41:21 GMT -5
Actually, 'Drone, they match pay far more often than you seem to think. Of all my friends who have become ALJs while in federal service, none were started at the bottom and all were matched as I have described. Guess your friends were luckier than mine.  But in all seriousness, I do vaguely remember some mandatory provision of pay matching when an ALJ candidate is a current federal employee. So if you have friends who were GS-15s or very senior GS-14s with a higher base pay then 3/A ALJs when they were offered the position, that is probably why they were able to start at a higher rate (same as my friend, who was a GS-15 before becoming an ALJ). Other than the scenario above, the pay matching (in cases of State or private employees) is up to the discretion of the agency, it's not an entitlement. Two new ALJs I know (one was a prior state ALJ, the other a private practioner) both started at 3/A. Individual circumstances and mileages differ. I think the bottom line is make your best pitch and then either take it or leave it. There are plenty of former candidates out there who did start at 3/A, so don't be insulted if that's all they offer. That's all I'm saying. But we are getting ahead of ourselves here. Yup. Don't put the cart before the donkey. |
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Post by alj on Mar 17, 2009 18:33:49 GMT -5
Drone is right. Those in federal service won't normally receive a pay cut--at least I don't know of any who have. Those in private practice, or former state employees will normally start at the 3/A level. I don't know of any who have started higher, but it may have happened.
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EagleJAG
Full Member
ALJ...a high-G career field worth the fight
Posts: 36
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Post by EagleJAG on Mar 17, 2009 20:52:22 GMT -5
Anyone know if an active duty military member (soon to retire) is considered a federal employee?
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Post by globalpanda on Mar 17, 2009 21:30:43 GMT -5
Will they accept tax returns? That's all I have as I'm a sole proprietor. Discuss with them after you get the offer, it doesn't hurt to ask. Although I think most people starts at 3/A, period (the agency may offer you a higher rate, but I don't believe they exercise that discretion very often - other than a former GS-15 that started as 3/B, the other new ALJs I know all started at 3/A). I believe workdrone is correct. SSA is not in the habit of offering jobs above the entry level. It is my understanding that other Federal Agencies are more willing to use this option. Obviously, If you get an offer from an agency other than Social Security that agency may approach things differently than SSA does. For those of you coming from a non Federal job, if you can demonstrate to the agency that we really, really need your very unique skill set, and you can prove it, SSA may elect to start you at a higher rate than 3A. It just is not done very often by SSA. SSA often has a veritable surplus of highly qualified candidates and often does not feel any strong urge to sweeten to pot, so to speak. The best advice I have seen is this, Ask! If you do get an offer, do not be shy. The worst thing that will happen is that they will tell you that they can not start you at a higher rate. Take your best shot. If you are coming from a Federal Job, SSA is bound by OPM regs and will offer you a salary that is at least equal to your current salary plus a step increase, excluding any locality pay. To be frank. I am not sure if they count active duty military as Federal employees, for the purposes of calculating a salary. |
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Post by karaj on Mar 17, 2009 22:43:12 GMT -5
Is SSA the only Agency sending out these Notification emails?
When, and if, an offer to interview comes, will we be "assigned" an interview time, like the WD/SI or can we actually "schedule" it within the time allotment?
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Post by jagghagg on Mar 18, 2009 4:56:22 GMT -5
Privateatty, all I'm sayin' is that I know of two candidates coming in from private practice - one came in at entry level and one came in at the AL-3F level.
EagleJAG, as you must know by now most agencies "match" military pay. The fellow JAGs of whom I know who got ALJ positions, had their pay based on their military pay, but hopefully you will hear from a sitting JAG-ALJ who can best answer for themselves.
Karaj, currently these notifications are coming from the SSA. The SSA is the agency employing the largest numbers of ALJs. Basically, SSA is the "box store" which buys in bulk and the 39 other agencies using ALJs are boutiques! Most other agencies hire oneses and twoses and thus simply call the candidates on the Certificate of Eligibles received from OPM to set up interviews. And most do not do background checks until they are ready to make a formal offer.
As far as the scheduling goes, the SSA will do their best to schedule a time that will work for you - many candidates have to fly into DC so the interview entails the same machinations they went through to take the WD and SI from OPM. Of course, as the spaces fill up, there is less and less room for accommodation.
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Post by alj on Mar 18, 2009 5:11:07 GMT -5
As far as the scheduling goes, the SSA will do their best to schedule a time that will work for you - many candidates have to fly into DC so the interview entails the same machinations they went through to take the WD and SI from OPM. Of course, as the spaces fill up, there is less and less room for accommodation. And this time around the agency picks up the tab. |
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Post by nvnatv on Mar 18, 2009 6:23:43 GMT -5
Yesterday at 1:19pm, northwest wrote: The notice says: " The entrance base salary for an ALJ is $102,400 per year plus locality pay based on geographic location. " How does this square with the chart at www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/html/alj_loc.aspwhich says that the January 2009 pay will be $116,593 for the rest of the US, and higher for locations with locality pay? Rest of the US is a geographic location. Everyone gets locality pay and the rest of US is the the base salary plus locality pay. Ok, so now I am confused too. I KNOW the original offering said $116,000. Is this the base amount plus some locality pay that everyone gets? And then you might get additional locality pay? The basic question is: Given no other "ups," can one expect to start at at least $116,000? Thanks. |
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But in all seriousness, I do vaguely remember some mandatory provision of pay matching when an ALJ candidate is a current federal employee. So if you have friends who were GS-15s or very senior GS-14s with a higher base pay then 3/A ALJs when they were offered the position, that is probably why they were able to start at a higher rate (same as my friend, who was a GS-15 before becoming an ALJ). 
