OPM and SSA Partner to Meet the Need for Additional Administrative Law Judges
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: August 19, 2021
Every day agencies across the Federal Government come together to provide important services to the American people. This spring, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) joined forces to recruit prospective candidates for administrative law judge (ALJ) positions. ALJs are integral to SSA and other agencies to make impartial decisions on such issues as disability determinations, licensing, or grievances. Nearly 2,000 ALJs work in 27 Federal agencies across the government.
SSA’s hearing and appeals operation is one of the largest administrative adjudicative systems in the world. OPM provides agencies with certificates of well-qualified ALJ candidates, drawn from a robust register, to fill vacant positions. We are happy to report that OPM recently issued an announcement for entry-level ALJ positions on USAJOBS, which yielded more than 5,000 applications.
In the coming months, OPM will review qualifications and complete the thorough approval process by which applicants who successfully complete both online and in-person assessments of the examination will be added to the ALJ register. In addition to scheduling the current administration of the exam, OPM replenished the existing ALJ register with new candidates who successfully completed the 2013 administration of the examination. OPM also opens the examination on a quarterly basis to disabled veterans and certain individuals who are entitled to veterans’ preference in relation to disabled veterans.
SSA and OPM are committed to continuing to work together to fulfill this important government function.
For more information on applying for ALJ positions, please visit our previous blog post: “Answer the Call to Public Service, Become an Administrative Law Judge.”
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Shannon R.
I am socially dysfunctional and don’t find it comfortable to find someone to look within and make judgement about self or ask someone that don’t know me to represent me. I feel like I don’t want to put anyone out.
Shannon R.
That description is me to a T. Except, I was already on disability for 14 years. I had no drs. Notes as I was in worse state and going thru to much to even begin to think straight. I define try wasn’t focused on getting out to see anyone. Even a doctor. At review, I was deemed not disabled . Expected that I could suddenly make enough to live on from work. I had failed to return one of four requested forms for reconsideration on time, as usual. They denied me reasonable accommodations and 2 years have gone by with me trying to get it back. My disabilities are listed on the rfc list . It should never happened. And the fact that he denied my late submittal with reasonable accom. Took my ability to get it seen by any other than the clerk and one office manager that made that decision. How does the window clerk get that much authority and control over someone being able to appeal or be reconsidered so then they can appeal if necessary? I can’t get around those 2 in the office. They can’t answer my questions, won’t submit when I bring them stuff for old case, won’t assist me in anyway, but will ask me to leave everytime. I don’t get to crazy, just persist in my inquiry and show my undying desire to get accom. So to get reconsidered and then reinstated. The security has to usher me to the door each time. This happens every few months as I do have agoraphobia and depression ptsd and anxiety disorder bipolar. It has put me thru soooo much life changes that have kept me feeling like all as outta control as I was when I wa’s going thru it before deemed not disabled.
teresa
I really hope that one day when these careless, unqualified ALJ judge(s) have to depend on SSI or SSDI. That they have a judge just like them.!!!!!???
KC
Reading some of the comments in this page make me think too many things. My mother who has been in depression and anxiety for the last 15 years (we can show the record) has been waiting for almost a year to we approved by SSA. She has been denied twice and a case is now suppose to go to a heading only God knows when.
Despite of her anxiety, panic attacks, agorafobia, desorientation and some other issues the SSA still saying that she is able to work.
She has been working in this country since she was 16 and she was 50 when she stops. I really think that 34 years of work counts for something. NO all people who applies for SSA just apply bc they don’t want to work or they are lazy. Some people really has issues that impels them work. I hope who ever gets into the ALJ position revise the cases twice before say NO so easily.
After all is HER MONEY a constribution of 34 years of working. It is a real shame the things that are happening.
And someone who REALLY CARES should take note of these kind of matters.
Tom
The loss of judges, and the resulting delay in justice, comes from the public electing officials who constantly look to reduce “discretionary spending” and crow about cutting the size of government. If you want more services, and quicker results, you have to pay for them. Or get the people who can afford the lobbyists who get their taxes reduced in exchange for campaign contributions (or make threats to “primary” the rep out of office with someone more compliant) to pay their share. Oddly, most citizens support fairer taxation. But then they elect the same people to Congress eager to please their financial patrons. I presume when we demand our democracy back, that will start to change.
Alan F.
Hi My name is Alan F. and I applied for Social Security Money One year ago on May 19, 2015. It Looks Like i need an ALJ for my Claim. Please Hurry before it gets cold again outside while it is almost summer time. Sincerely Alan F. USA.
Gary C.
You guys need to do something about the judges that doesn’t make any sense with their decision making process. …it took me 5 years to get SCREWED by my own government. …look at the circus going on right now. EMBARRASSING . $$$
Anthony L.
My name and email address is correctly posted.
Antonio
If you do decide to retaining an ALJ position, I hope that you follow all the canons, statues, regulations and rules. More decisions really should be made on the merits and evidence put forward. To many cases are decided by procedural. I have experienced it first hand with workers compensation and civil suits, I hope it doesn’t happen in my tort claim against the VA. All my case decisions have been refilled and appealed due to the “abuse of discretion.” Be a good ALJ and make the correct decisions.
Marc
“Canons, statutes, rules and regulations” ARE the “procedural” rules you are hoping they follow, and which all judges must and do follow in our legal system. Additionally, following these rules and procedures that you are so critical of is NOT “abuse of discretion;” on the contrary, following procedure isn’t a discretionary action at all but a mandatory one which insures consistent treatment of all cases. Obviously you are in dire need of a dictionary. The only one who is abusing the system here is you, filing frivolous actions against the judge every time you don’t win one of the serial cases you’re in the habit of filing. Sour grapes, anyone?
Gary
How do I apply in IDAHO?
R.F.
For more information about the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) positions, visit the “Qualification Standards for Administrative Law Judge Positions” web page, provided by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). You must apply directly to a posting on the Office of Personnel Management’s USAJOBS website once positions become available.