Nancy Shor At NOSSCR Conference

A few excerpts from the remarks made by Nancy Shor, the Executive Director of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR), at the NOSSCR conference in Miami Beach:

• The Appeal Council will be getting the capacity to handle e-files.
• Social Security currently has 12 disciplinary actions against Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) pending at the Merit Systems Protection Board (which adjudicates these actions). Social Security Commissioner Astrue plans to decide what to do next on ALJ discipline after seeing the results of these actions.
• The Social Security Administration wants to start tracking fee petitions.
• There are problems with direct deposit of funds for representing Social Security claimants into bank accounts with Wells Fargo Bank. The bank is insisting that the direct deposits may only go in escrow accounts.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will not require attorneys to take an examination in order to represent claimants before that agency, but will require VA specific Continuing Legal Education courses.