Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)

[Anonymous]

Yes, the experience is night and day different depending on who you work for. Also, it is true that some people are very good at the job. It is perfect for a very specific type of person. That is not the norm. Most people struggle and hate it. So, either your friends are really well suited for the job and are doing fine or they work for really awesome people, or both.



Upper management at the Board is rotten to the core and routinely plays games with employees. However, there are a few good GS-15 supervisors and judges at the Board who try to make their employees’ lives easier. The attorneys under them generally find the job to be tolerable. But, even these employees face the constant threat of termination due to the high production standard.

I understand. However, I have been trying to get my two friends (casual friends) to consider applying to my agency for years as writing attorney positions come available, and they won't consider a move. We also have telework and a production system that is high, but we get time subtracted from the quota for leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. They won't consider a move, so something about the job must be right for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I worked at the Board, I came into the office on a Saturday to work (as I often did). After signing in at the guard desk, I asked the guard how many people were signed in. The guard replied 56 people. I wonder how many Board attorneys are working today on a federal holiday.

Yep!! Working for no pay on a federal holiday!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, the experience is night and day different depending on who you work for. Also, it is true that some people are very good at the job. It is perfect for a very specific type of person. That is not the norm. Most people struggle and hate it. So, either your friends are really well suited for the job and are doing fine or they work for really awesome people, or both.



Upper management at the Board is rotten to the core and routinely plays games with employees. However, there are a few good GS-15 supervisors and judges at the Board who try to make their employees’ lives easier. The attorneys under them generally find the job to be tolerable. But, even these employees face the constant threat of termination due to the high production standard.

I understand. However, I have been trying to get my two friends (casual friends) to consider applying to my agency for years as writing attorney positions come available, and they won't consider a move. We also have telework and a production system that is high, but we get time subtracted from the quota for leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. They won't consider a move, so something about the job must be right for them.

It’s probably the Board’s liberal telework policy that is keeping them there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, the experience is night and day different depending on who you work for. Also, it is true that some people are very good at the job. It is perfect for a very specific type of person. That is not the norm. Most people struggle and hate it. So, either your friends are really well suited for the job and are doing fine or they work for really awesome people, or both.



Upper management at the Board is rotten to the core and routinely plays games with employees. However, there are a few good GS-15 supervisors and judges at the Board who try to make their employees’ lives easier. The attorneys under them generally find the job to be tolerable. But, even these employees face the constant threat of termination due to the high production standard.

I understand. However, I have been trying to get my two friends (casual friends) to consider applying to my agency for years as writing attorney positions come available, and they won't consider a move. We also have telework and a production system that is high, but we get time subtracted from the quota for leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. They won't consider a move, so something about the job must be right for them.

It’s probably the Board’s liberal telework policy that is keeping them there.

Yep. No office space means basically everyone can work from home after the first year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, the experience is night and day different depending on who you work for. Also, it is true that some people are very good at the job. It is perfect for a very specific type of person. That is not the norm. Most people struggle and hate it. So, either your friends are really well suited for the job and are doing fine or they work for really awesome people, or both.



Upper management at the Board is rotten to the core and routinely plays games with employees. However, there are a few good GS-15 supervisors and judges at the Board who try to make their employees’ lives easier. The attorneys under them generally find the job to be tolerable. But, even these employees face the constant threat of termination due to the high production standard.

I understand. However, I have been trying to get my two friends (casual friends) to consider applying to my agency for years as writing attorney positions come available, and they won't consider a move. We also have telework and a production system that is high, but we get time subtracted from the quota for leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. They won't consider a move, so something about the job must be right for them.

It sounds like you're at SSA or HHS DAB. Your friends probably don't want to move to SSA or DAB because the decision writer jobs over there only go up to GS-12. Attorney positions at the Board go up to GS-14. Most people don't want to move to SSA or DAB once they reach the GS-14 level, as they would need to downgrade to a GS-12 level. With regard to the quota, while the Board has not historically taken into account leave, holidays, general office admin work etc., this has not been the case since FY17. The Board does indeed subtract leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. from the quota. But, even the prorated quota is still much too high for most attorneys to complete within a 40 hour work week, hence the reason why many Board attorneys work unpaid overtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, the experience is night and day different depending on who you work for. Also, it is true that some people are very good at the job. It is perfect for a very specific type of person. That is not the norm. Most people struggle and hate it. So, either your friends are really well suited for the job and are doing fine or they work for really awesome people, or both.



Upper management at the Board is rotten to the core and routinely plays games with employees. However, there are a few good GS-15 supervisors and judges at the Board who try to make their employees’ lives easier. The attorneys under them generally find the job to be tolerable. But, even these employees face the constant threat of termination due to the high production standard.

I understand. However, I have been trying to get my two friends (casual friends) to consider applying to my agency for years as writing attorney positions come available, and they won't consider a move. We also have telework and a production system that is high, but we get time subtracted from the quota for leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. They won't consider a move, so something about the job must be right for them.

It’s probably the Board’s liberal telework policy that is keeping them there.

Yep. No office space means basically everyone can work from home after the first year.

But, until that first year is over, new Board attorneys will have to work on the second floor in a former storage room turned into a call center like open workspace filled with rows and rows of attorneys.

[Anonymous]

what is the address to the building where the attorneys work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what is the address to the building where the attorneys work?

The address is:

425 I St., Washington, DC 20001

I don't particularly like the location, as it is not safe at all. Although I have never been victimized, a few of my colleagues have been robbed and assaulted. Indeed, the DC Metropolitan Police crime map/database shows that within the last twelve months (July 2019-July 2020), 614 crimes have occurred within 1,500 feet of the Board's office, of which 41 were violent in nature (i.e., robbery and assault). Here's the link to the crime map.

http://crimemap.dc.gov/CrimeMapSearch.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what is the address to the building where the attorneys work?

The address is:

425 I St., Washington, DC 20001

I don't particularly like the location, as it is not safe at all. Although I have never been victimized, a few of my colleagues have been robbed and assaulted. Indeed, the DC Metropolitan Police crime map/database shows that within the last twelve months (July 2019-July 2020), 614 crimes have occurred within 1,500 feet of the Board's office, of which 41 were violent in nature (i.e., robbery and assault). Here's the link to the crime map.

http://crimemap.dc.gov/CrimeMapSearch.aspx

Agreed. Not a great area at all. They've tried to spruce it up a bit by opening up some expensive apartments. I've heard of many of my female colleagues being accosted outside of the Gallery Place Metro, and I've been harassed multiple times trying to eat lunch outside. That area is not one of DC's best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, the experience is night and day different depending on who you work for. Also, it is true that some people are very good at the job. It is perfect for a very specific type of person. That is not the norm. Most people struggle and hate it. So, either your friends are really well suited for the job and are doing fine or they work for really awesome people, or both.



Upper management at the Board is rotten to the core and routinely plays games with employees. However, there are a few good GS-15 supervisors and judges at the Board who try to make their employees’ lives easier. The attorneys under them generally find the job to be tolerable. But, even these employees face the constant threat of termination due to the high production standard.

I understand. However, I have been trying to get my two friends (casual friends) to consider applying to my agency for years as writing attorney positions come available, and they won't consider a move. We also have telework and a production system that is high, but we get time subtracted from the quota for leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. They won't consider a move, so something about the job must be right for them.

It sounds like you're at SSA or HHS DAB. Your friends probably don't want to move to SSA or DAB because the decision writer jobs over there only go up to GS-12. Attorney positions at the Board go up to GS-14. Most people don't want to move to SSA or DAB once they reach the GS-14 level, as they would need to downgrade to a GS-12 level. With regard to the quota, while the Board has not historically taken into account leave, holidays, general office admin work etc., this has not been the case since FY17. The Board does indeed subtract leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. from the quota. But, even the prorated quota is still much too high for most attorneys to complete within a 40 hour work week, hence the reason why many Board attorneys work unpaid overtime.

This. Yes, the prorate for leave, because they're required to do so by the Union contract. But they increased the quota by about 30 percent so its all a smokescreen. People still work on weekends and holidays and at night just to keep their head above water. If you have family responsibilities you can expect no sympathy from the Board and you will be working every minute of the day when you're not sleeping or taking care of your family. This is not a 40 hour a week job. It takes closer to 50-60 hours a week to do the job right unless you have a bunch of really easy cases or are otherwise taking shortcuts.

[Anonymous]

^Meh, if it was me I would take whatever shortcuts I could get away with. I know that sounds shitty but they're paying you for 40 hours per week and, based upon the links posted here, leadership and congress have ample notice that there is a workload issue and presumably no one cares so you get what you pay for. If it was extra hours once in a while, sure, no problem, but definitely not doing that on a continuous basis. The only exception would probably be the first year or two getting up to speed and you have to expect there's going to be a learning curve.

[Anonymous]

I understand. However, I have been trying to get my two friends (casual friends) to consider applying to my agency for years as writing attorney positions come available, and they won't consider a move. We also have telework and a production system that is high, but we get time subtracted from the quota for leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. They won't consider a move, so something about the job must be right for them.


It sounds like you're at SSA or HHS DAB. Your friends probably don't want to move to SSA or DAB because the decision writer jobs over there only go up to GS-12. Attorney positions at the Board go up to GS-14. Most people don't want to move to SSA or DAB once they reach the GS-14 level, as they would need to downgrade to a GS-12 level. With regard to the quota, while the Board has not historically taken into account leave, holidays, general office admin work etc., this has not been the case since FY17. The Board does indeed subtract leave, holidays, general office admin work etc. from the quota. But, even the prorated quota is still much too high for most attorneys to complete within a 40 hour work week, hence the reason why many Board attorneys work unpaid overtime.

I see. No, I am not at either of those agencies and I am a GS-14. Our positions are a GS-14 ladder. Our area of law is fairly complex, and the amount of days you can telework depends on the number of decisions you produce.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^Meh, if it was me I would take whatever shortcuts I could get away with. I know that sounds shitty but they're paying you for 40 hours per week and, based upon the links posted here, leadership and congress have ample notice that there is a workload issue and presumably no one cares so you get what you pay for. If it was extra hours once in a while, sure, no problem, but definitely not doing that on a continuous basis. The only exception would probably be the first year or two getting up to speed and you have to expect there's going to be a learning curve.

Most of my colleagues, as least the ones that I'm familiar with, take shortcuts and still need to work in excess of 40 hours a week to meet the quota. Taking shortcuts also leaves you vulnerable, as you will inevitably miss things. If you are in management's good graces, they will overlook your mistakes, as they know everyone is under intense pressure. However, if you complain in any manner, management will cite to your mistakes as grounds to fire you.

[Anonymous]

The address is:

425 I St., Washington, DC 20001

I don't particularly like the location, as it is not safe at all. Although I have never been victimized, a few of my colleagues have been robbed and assaulted. Indeed, the DC Metropolitan Police crime map/database shows that within the last twelve months (July 2019-July 2020), 614 crimes have occurred within 1,500 feet of the Board's office, of which 41 were violent in nature (i.e., robbery and assault). Here's the link to the crime map.

http://crimemap.dc.gov/CrimeMapSearch.aspx


Agreed. Not a great area at all. They've tried to spruce it up a bit by opening up some expensive apartments. I've heard of many of my female colleagues being accosted outside of the Gallery Place Metro, and I've been harassed multiple times trying to eat lunch outside. That area is not one of DC's best.

The area is fine. I clerked for the Federal Circuit, right near there. I don't know where you are from originally (I grew up in two other major Northeast cities) but it seems perfectly safe to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The address is:

425 I St., Washington, DC 20001

I don't particularly like the location, as it is not safe at all. Although I have never been victimized, a few of my colleagues have been robbed and assaulted. Indeed, the DC Metropolitan Police crime map/database shows that within the last twelve months (July 2019-July 2020), 614 crimes have occurred within 1,500 feet of the Board's office, of which 41 were violent in nature (i.e., robbery and assault). Here's the link to the crime map.

http://crimemap.dc.gov/CrimeMapSearch.aspx


Agreed. Not a great area at all. They've tried to spruce it up a bit by opening up some expensive apartments. I've heard of many of my female colleagues being accosted outside of the Gallery Place Metro, and I've been harassed multiple times trying to eat lunch outside. That area is not one of DC's best.

The area is fine. I clerked for the Federal Circuit, right near there. I don't know where you are from originally (I grew up in two other major Northeast cities) but it seems perfectly safe to me.

The Federal Circuit is four miles away (a 12 min car ride according Google Maps) from 425 I Street.