ALJ Hiring

[admin]

1.  ODAR needs to hire over 100 new ALJ's to just make up for attrition since 1999.  Of course, we really need to hire more support staff for our current ALJ's, but that is probably asking for too much.

2.  The budget is still up in the air, so it is very hard to predict where management will spend the money.  Thus, I have no clue when, how many, or IF any hiring will be done this year.

[jrh83]

The current budget does not appear to have much room for new hiring of any kind...unless you want to be a Fed RO.

[jrh83]

Just a note to follow-up the repeated Barnhart contention that the Azdell case/lack of an updated register explained the lack of ALJ hiring.  OPM told Congress, in writing, that over 1100 candidates are on the current register!!! AND that they had contacted those candidates and made sure they were still interested in the job.  So much for the excuse there aren't enough to choose from.

[damarohl]

The recently published final rule on OPM administration of ALJs may be suggestive.

[barkley]

I had heard the opposite - that OPM has not made efforts to update its list, basically contacting people as needed.  When they were putting together the last few classes, they were suprised by how many were no longer interested. . . or had died!  Makes you wonder how long the list would be if they DID make an effort to contact everyone on the current register.

Not that it matters any more.

On March 20, 2007, the new ALJ examination system was published in the federal register.  The old list and process will terminate April 19, 2007.  Rather than have an exhaustive explanation in the Regulations, the new examination process will be announced via a vacancy announcement (they explain this change by stating that requirements and technologies change so much, that OPM wants the added flexibility, rather than have to work with formal Rule changing procedures to make changes).  For more info, check the Federal Register Vol 72, No. 53.

[jrh83]

Attched is a copy of a submission to the Subcommittee.

[barkley]

I appreciate Mr. Hitchcock's willingness to express his opinion.  He raises several excellent points.  OPM has never given the agency attorneys the proper credit for their experience and knowledge about Social Security.  He correctly notes that insufficent weight is given to actual administrative law, with a heavy preference to litigation experience.

However, I doubt his "solution" that additional ALJs be hired off the old list is representative of most members of the Association.  There are many attorneys in ODAR who now have 10 years of agency experience (after years of work on the "outside") but have had no chance to compete for placement on the the list.  I wish some mention had been made by these very qualified, hard working attorneys.   

[jrh83]

The decision was whether you want more than a handful of candidates with ODAR experience to have a realistic chance to become ALJ's in the next 15 years.

Let's tell the truth.  OPM's current scoring system basically divided candidates into two ranges based on the current job at the time of the application.  If you were currently working in an admin area you generally got a lower score, regardless of outside experience.  Then the super boost of the veterans points were added.  The lucky people on the current register actually have a real shot to be considered if a big class is hired since thier scores can finally be reached.

The odds appear prohibitively against any real significant change from this pattern in the "new" exam.  Therefore, all ODAR attorneys [except those with vet points] can expect to be on the new register . . . WITH NO REASONABLE CHANCE  TO MAKE IT ON TO A CERTIFICATE IN THEiR LIFETIME!  We'll be number 2000 - 2700 on the list.

Thus, the comparison is perhaps 100 candidates with a real chance vs. 500 or 600 candidates with no chance!

[barkley]

Well, I guess this discussion does not matter any longer.  I certainly hope your assertion that the 500 or 600 agency attorneys who apply have no change at the job is not true.  As they say "The proof is in the pudding."  I hope we see many names of AAA members on the list come fall.  Just as we saw the names of many very competent agency attorneys come off the old list.

[jrh83]

We need to gather data regarding the OPM "evaluation" of ALJ applications.

1. what kind of experience did the applicants in your office have?
2. how many of the received technical denials?  what kind?
3. how many were in "Club Zero"?
4. How many got e-mails setting exam & interview dates and then an "oops" e-mail tell them they actually were in caregory 2 or 3?
5. How many survived the first cut and will be examined and interviewed?

Please gather this info for your office and forward it to the association via a private message.