The registry to apply to become a Social Security Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) is now open. I don't know how they're going to do it this time but on previous occasions the registry stayed open for only a few days. It may be years before the registry opens again.
20 comments:
Wont hear from reps or SAs today! The Run for the Robes is on!! I do find it entertaining that the reps complain about the ALJs until they get the robes, then they complain about the reps!!! Money sluts!
@ 10:35 AM Um, you can hear from this 20+ year rep all day long today. No run for the robe here. While at one point early in my career the idea of becoming an ALJ sounded appealing, I wouldn't touch that job now with a 10 foot pole.
I have had numerous conversations with ALJs about job satisfaction over the past few years and nearly everyone I have spoken with has indicated significant dissatisfaction and were either trying to just make it far enough to retire or looking to transfer to another Agency. (several have done so since I have spoke with them) The only ALJ that I can recall specifically saying that they enjoyed their job was the lowest paying ALJ in our local ODAR. (read into that what you wish)
I thought reps take a pay cut to become an ALJ.
@11:45
You are incorrect.
It's always interesting to see reps when they come on this side of the door, whether as an ALJ or attorney-writer. The reaction I've most commonly heard is, "I had no idea this was what you all dealt with." Think of all the cases you've turned down in your practice because you felt strongly they did not have a good case. You get to hear them anyway, whether unrepped or by a rep that takes anything in a volume practice. You get to see all of the fun rep practices that all of the reps here don't do, like failing to develop the record, not understanding the law or the issues in the case, submitting bizarre briefs, arguing listings with no basis in reality, etc. It's a whole new world beyond the scope of your individual practice, and it comes as a shock to those that don't experience it on a regular basis.
Also of note (and purely anecdotal), I know of 5 former reps that are now ALJs, and four of them have lower award rates than I do, a former insider attorney. In my experience, the judges with the highest award rates are those with the least familiarity with disability law. It's also why you see judges' award rates decrease as their experience increases.
They sporadically open tiny windows of time, with very little advertisement, during which people can apply. They apply strange criteria then make applicants wait an undetermined amount of time before providing any word on whether they will be hired. Seems to reward insider knowledge and a willingness to be treated unreasonably. No thanks!
Is it a waste of time for a non-veteran , who has never worked for the government, to apply?
1:31 - nope, that describes at least 1/2 sitting ALJs.
P.S. go to bed already!
Unlike almost so many other jobs posted on USAJobs in the last few years where the BQ cutoff score winds up being over 100, sometimes over 103, because so many disabled vets apply making it so only disabled vets can even be considered, the vet points for the ALJ examination just make it more likely a vet will get picked up.
If you make the minimum scores on all parts of the ALJ exam that have a minimum, you'll get a score and make the register. Now, you may never make a cert for any city, especially if you have limited geographic availability, but you can make the register and theoretically have a shot of actually being picked up.
Best advice; make sure you select every city on the application. Get that ALJ spot in the middle of nowhere, do your year or so and then put in for a transfer. Also, forget about Hawaii, that list is a mile long.
I've been going through the ALJ process since March 2016. I would describe it has months of waiting, followed by a day of nervewracking tests, then more months of waiting.
I am a bit confused. We have to apply for all ALJ jobs or we specify that we are applying for.SSA ALJ?. Also, does the test check knowledge of SSA law, or General ALJ procedures/ rules, or both?
The application is for all ALJ jobs. It does not test any substantive law in any area, just core competencies in analysis and professional experience. You can find more info on the link on the right for the ALJ Discussion Board, but beware of going down the rabbit hole.
What is there to be aware of, that you say beware? On a different note, how does one even prepare for a test like that?. If there is no prep course or book, I'm sure people with friends that have taken it will have a major advantage over people who never even heard of the test.Especially given that the test is timed. Interesting they don't test substantive law. This would explain some newer ALJs, who make errors in some of the most basic principles of law.
11:45 Only attorney's with good practices would take a pay cut. And you would never see them apply.
Have been in the SSD game since 2006 with over 3,000 hearings in every ODAR west of the Mississippi. I truly believe I would be an honest, fair ALJ.
Applied basically on a whim. As stated above, I would take a slight paycut (and the max is $175K/year and not rising). So monetarily not a great move.
Job security is kind of the enticement. Almost no way to get thrown off the bench (unless like ALJ Daugherty who was bribed).
However, my main problem is how much control the SSA has over ALJs outside of their job. As an ex-sportswriter, I value free speech among all else. Feel like the SSA would constrict this somehow.
ALJ Giannikas in West LA does acting. He was on Burn Notice when it was on under the name Paul Giannikas. I also do filmmaking and acting some times. So I guess the SSA can tolerate some extra-curricular activities.
"Best advice; make sure you select every city on the application. Get that ALJ spot in the middle of nowhere, do your year or so and then put in for a transfer. Also, forget about Hawaii, that list is a mile long." If you are right Anon 12:24, this will disqualify myself. Basically asked for ODARs out here in the West. Don't want to uproot my family just to become an ALJ.
We will see how it goes. Does not hurt to try.
8:35 That's about 21 hearings per month, assuming your case load has been even all through the years. How can you prepare for that many hearings. How do you find 21 good cases a month? What is your win rate? With a 50% win rate, averaging a $3,000 fee per win that would be about $400,000 per year gross revenue.
Anon 5:25 I have worked at national law firms. We average anywhere from 25-40 (sometimes more) hearings per month.
How do you find 21 good cases a month? Uh we don't although we are taking more DIB cases and over 50 cases.
How can you prepare for that many hearings? It's tough especially when it is over 30 hearings when you combine travel. Now based in SoCal, I average over 2,000 miles per month on my car for business travel alone. Honestly, travelling to the hearings is one of the hardest parts of the job.
@12:26
YOU are incorrect. Many do take pay cuts. But the job is secure, i.e., removal only "for cause," and no more "rainmaking," (e.g. SSI/DIB seminars to the masses). Many look to the ALJ job as the retirement job "until death do you part."
I understand if you are a national firm with several attorneys reps per office and a major advertising budget. 8:35 sounded like a sole practitioner. In all honesty I need 12 hours minimum just to study case and prepare brief and medications list. Yes my cases are only good cases with lots of medical records because i am highly selective about cases I take. However, I just can't conceive of being able to find the time to do more than 10 hearings per month, even if I could find 10 new good cases a month.
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