I don't know how widespread this is but in Eastern North Carolina, Social Security's Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) has installed new equipment for video hearings which significantly improves picture quality. The new equipment doesn't take us to true hi-def. I'd say it improves picture quality from circa 1954 (or perhaps 1944) to circa 1990, which is a major improvement.
The quality in our office is terrible and I can't even see the claimant's face. There is no rumor of us being upgraded.
ReplyDelete@2:04PM, it sounds like you are an ALJ. If the quality is so poor, why do you proceed? Does it not impair your ability to judge a claimant's credibility if you are unable to see their facial expressions and demeanor?
ReplyDeleteIt's all in the name of expediency. I use the equipment that is provided to me to do the job I am asked to do. I have no control over the equipment and I dare not extract the wrath of ODAR.
ReplyDelete@ 8:58AM, I feel sorry for you and other members of the ALJ corps who are so fearful of the wrath of ODAR that they are unwilling to stand up for claimant's whose rights are being infringed upon. I also think its shameful that you feel the need to worry about your paycheck more than doing your job correctly. You Sir, have become nothing more than another bureaucrat.
ReplyDeleteJust a wee small cog in the gigantic machine that is grinding out your paycheck... How would you like me to stand up? Refuse to do hearings when otehr Judges will? That will make the press in no time and do no good at all. Why don't you just refuse video hearings? Too lazy to drive to the hearing? When I find more than 10% of the Reps that are doing their job correctly I will throw a party. I do my job correctly. If ODAR says do a video hearing, I do it. And you Sir, make your living off of the misfortunes of others.
ReplyDelete@ 9:44AM
ReplyDeleteHow would you like me to stand up?
- Yes, refuse to do video hearings if you cannot do your job correctly. The fact that other Judges don't care about claimants shouldn't impact your personal feelings. The "everyone else is doing it" argument is just a cop-out.
Why don't you just refuse video hearings? - We typically do refuse but in some situations, like when it will take another 6 months to get a face to face because no ALJs want to travel, we have to allow our clients to decide what they want.
Too lazy to drive to the hearing? - Far from it. This week I am spending 9 hours in a car traveling for just 2 hearings. (Yeah it not the most efficient way yo practice but our clients need good representation)
"And you Sir, make your living off of the misfortunes of others. " - Actually I make my living standing up for the rights of individuals who have been unfairly denied benefits to which they are entitled. I make my living standing up for an individual against the gigantic machine that is grinding out your paycheck. The machine in which you are just a wee cog. I Sir, can sleep well at night knowing I am on the right side of things. If I were in your shoes, I cannot say I would be able to sleep as well.