May 3, 2016

Wi-Fi For Claimant Attorneys?

     I have heard a report that the Raleigh hearing office is installing Wi-Fi for attorneys who represent claimants at the office. Is this something that will be done generally in hearing offices?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would not trust anything the government let me use. Just get a mobile data plan and a secure connection. Plus, I doubt this will ever happen. You cannot even access the electronic folder on SSA's hearing computers using an internet connection. All you get is their stale CD to use.

Anonymous said...

This would greatly help the efficiency of hearings. I have a wifi hot spot on my work phone that I use for internet access during hearings (in case I need to pull up a reg, if the judge has questions about a MR request, if the judge has questions about client contact, etc). I can't tell you the number of times a judge asks a question that I need to pull up my secure online case mgmt. system to answer. At some ODARs, my hot spot does not work. It makes it much easier on everybody for me, as an attorney, to have it.

Another thing that would make things easier for everyone at ODARs (especially busy ones) would be to issue employee passes for attorneys, VEs, MEs, and hearing reporters so that they aren't caught up clearing security when entering ODARs.

Anonymous said...

Also, with SSA doing away with the issuing of CD's to representatives prior to hearing, having internet access at the hearing site would be very helpful. I always check ODARs CD against my own copy of the EF to make sure they are consistent.

Anonymous said...

The Wi-Fi isn't for surfing the net. My understanding is that it will cover the waiting, prep, and hearing rooms, allowing basically only for reps (and experts?) to access e-files. This will extinguish the need for burning that last CD before the hearing if there was some late-arriving evidence.

Annie42 said...

An ALJ in Denver mentioned the possibility of wi-fi in the not too distant future. I'll believe it when I see it.

Anonymous said...

yes, wi-fi is coming...@ 2:16 nailed it, it's meant to be used by VEs and MEs to access the file to reduce the need to get them cd's, paper copies, etc. It's likely that reps will be given access as well, but it will start with VE/ME.

Additionally, as with all SSA, it will likely be "piloted" in a few offices before rollout nationally.