From a job posting for Administrative Law Judges at Social Security:
The incumbent is subordinate to and accountable to the direction and supervision of the Commissioner of Social Security. …
You must currently hold, or have previously held, a permanent Attorney position at the GS-13 or above for a minimum of 52 weeks. …
Qualified decisional independence.
ReplyDeleteALJs must follow agency policy and procedures.
Nothing wrong with that.
Need to pass a loyalty test? I thought we worked for the citizens of this country since they pay our salary. 🤴
ReplyDeleteThe incumbent is subordinate to and accountable to the direction and supervision of the Commissioner of Social Security.
I assume this wording is different from previous job postings? Aren’t we all accountable to COSS?
ReplyDeleteThis blog entry does not post the most remarkable part: job is limited to Disability Adjudication ONLY (formerly OHO, formerly ODAR, formerly OHA). So extreme home-cooking for SSA to hand-pick its own people in a no-bid selection process (somewhere in the sky Dick Cheney is smiling). Not even OGC or other agency attorneys can apply.
ReplyDeleteThey also excluded all the GS11 and GS12 attorneys, foreclosing one of the few opportunities for advancement they once had. And those folks work HARD, for artificially diminished wages much lower than attorneys receive for comparable work at the VA and other agencies. Happy public service recognition week, right?
DeleteSo far in 2026, the current Administration has fired over 100 Immigration Judges. This was based on their now accepted theory that they are not independent and as executive employees can be fired for any reason, including issuing decisions the AG or the Administration general just doesn't like. While not yet done, the current administration has stated that they have the same authority to fire Social Security ALJs for any reason, not limited to "good cause" under the APA and MSPB provisions.
ReplyDeleteSaying in the new posting that they are "subordinate to and accountable to the direction and supervision of the Commissioner of Social Security." would mean that they are making clear that ALJs are not to be considered independent in any sense and that they can be fired if the Commissioner simply doesn't like their decisions. This goes well beyond the authority to review decisions on a case by case basis that already and has always existed in some form.
It's a bait and switch - the posting makes it seem like you'll be doing the important work of deciding people's futures, but at any moment Frank can decide you gotta answer the 1-800# line instead (gotta keep those numbers down!)
ReplyDeleteI am applying for this job currently.
ReplyDeleteIts only open for current SSA employees at GS 13 level.
The job posting makes it clear that SSA wants more control over the ALJ work product.
So much for the pretense that ALJs are to be independent decision makers.
ReplyDelete