Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)

[Anonymous]

Hey all. I’m a new attorney (GS-11) and I work with some non-supervisory GS-14s who have been at the Board for years. I am realizing that the Board screwed AAs over a few years ago by downgrading the GS track to top out at GS-13. What are my options at the Board to get to a GS-14 level? If I top out at GS-13, how will my caseload differ from a GS-14s? Will I just be doing the same level of work for less pay because I didn’t get grandfathered in to the older track? By work, I mean case difficulty . I understand that 3/week is the standard for production right now.

Any for anylne interested in starting at the Board in the future, I like it a lot so far. The work requires you to be self-motivated, detail-oriented, adaptable, and open to critique, so I can see how it isn’t for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey all. I’m a new attorney (GS-11) and I work with some non-supervisory GS-14s who have been at the Board for years. I am realizing that the Board screwed AAs over a few years ago by downgrading the GS track to top out at GS-13. What are my options at the Board to get to a GS-14 level? If I top out at GS-13, how will my caseload differ from a GS-14s? Will I just be doing the same level of work for less pay because I didn’t get grandfathered in to the older track? By work, I mean case difficulty . I understand that 3/week is the standard for production right now.

Any for anylne interested in starting at the Board in the future, I like it a lot so far. The work requires you to be self-motivated, detail-oriented, adaptable, and open to critique, so I can see how it isn’t for everyone.

You can apply for GS-14 when the Board puts an announcement on USA Jobs. I think you need four or five years of experience to apply for GS-14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey all. I’m a new attorney (GS-11) and I work with some non-supervisory GS-14s who have been at the Board for years. I am realizing that the Board screwed AAs over a few years ago by downgrading the GS track to top out at GS-13. What are my options at the Board to get to a GS-14 level? If I top out at GS-13, how will my caseload differ from a GS-14s? Will I just be doing the same level of work for less pay because I didn’t get grandfathered in to the older track? By work, I mean case difficulty . I understand that 3/week is the standard for production right now.

Any for anylne interested in starting at the Board in the future, I like it a lot so far. The work requires you to be self-motivated, detail-oriented, adaptable, and open to critique, so I can see how it isn’t for everyone.

I'm not sure you will be stalled at 13. I would talk to the union and see if they are seeing most people being promoted "on time" or not. I suspect that most people are being promoted on time, but if you are for whatever reason a problem, they could use denial of promotion to get you to leave.

Next, your caseload is entirely up to your Judge. It would be rare for a VLJ to not recommend you for promotion / not get you ready for it, and yet still load you down with horrible cases. Most VLJs are decent people and aren't out to get you. Just work closely with your VLJ. When you get to 13 you have 2 years at that level. By the end of that time you should be ready for 14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey all. I’m a new attorney (GS-11) and I work with some non-supervisory GS-14s who have been at the Board for years. I am realizing that the Board screwed AAs over a few years ago by downgrading the GS track to top out at GS-13. What are my options at the Board to get to a GS-14 level? If I top out at GS-13, how will my caseload differ from a GS-14s? Will I just be doing the same level of work for less pay because I didn’t get grandfathered in to the older track? By work, I mean case difficulty . I understand that 3/week is the standard for production right now.

Any for anylne interested in starting at the Board in the future, I like it a lot so far. The work requires you to be self-motivated, detail-oriented, adaptable, and open to critique, so I can see how it isn’t for everyone.

You won't be doing the exact same stuff. There is a range of cases. The newer attorneys generally get the cases with lower issue and document counts. The more senior attorneys get cases that are 10 or more issues or high numbers of documents.

[Anonymous]

Anyone know/hear anything about if they’re continuing the quarterly incentive program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know/hear anything about if they’re continuing the quarterly incentive program?

To the best of my understanding, all incentive and overtime is on hold until Congress passes a budget. These continuing resolutions put agencies, such as VA, in a holding pattern. So, we expect the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know/hear anything about if they’re continuing the quarterly incentive program?

To the best of my understanding, all incentive and overtime is on hold until Congress passes a budget. These continuing resolutions put agencies, such as VA, in a holding pattern. So, we expect the worst.

Weren’t incentives like the quarterly bonus program and overtime available last year when there was a CR?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know/hear anything about if they’re continuing the quarterly incentive program?

To the best of my understanding, all incentive and overtime is on hold until Congress passes a budget. These continuing resolutions put agencies, such as VA, in a holding pattern. So, we expect the worst.

Weren’t incentives like the quarterly bonus program and overtime available last year when there was a CR?

I think so. But this year, being an election year, we are all preparing for the worst if republicans win control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know/hear anything about if they’re continuing the quarterly incentive program?

To the best of my understanding, all incentive and overtime is on hold until Congress passes a budget. These continuing resolutions put agencies, such as VA, in a holding pattern. So, we expect the worst.

Weren’t incentives like the quarterly bonus program and overtime available last year when there was a CR?

I think so. But this year, being an election year, we are all preparing for the worst if republicans win control.

What is the definition of the worst? Quartely incentive awards were a new invention in the last year. I would not be surprised if that goes away because quaertely incentives weree never a thing at the Board until last year.

Overtime has always been limited during periods of continuing resolution. The Board has never experienced a significant shutdown during my time there under both Democrats and Republicans. The last time the government shut down several years ago the VA continued operations. I remember one time in 2014 or 2015 when we had to attend an all staff meeting about a potential shutdown but no shutdown occurred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know/hear anything about if they’re continuing the quarterly incentive program?

To the best of my understanding, all incentive and overtime is on hold until Congress passes a budget. These continuing resolutions put agencies, such as VA, in a holding pattern. So, we expect the worst.

Weren’t incentives like the quarterly bonus program and overtime available last year when there was a CR?

I think so. But this year, being an election year, we are all preparing for the worst if republicans win control.

What is the definition of the worst? Quartely incentive awards were a new invention in the last year. I would not be surprised if that goes away because quaertely incentives weree never a thing at the Board until last year.

Overtime has always been limited during periods of continuing resolution. The Board has never experienced a significant shutdown during my time there under both Democrats and Republicans. The last time the government shut down several years ago the VA continued operations. I remember one time in 2014 or 2015 when we had to attend an all staff meeting about a potential shutdown but no shutdown occurred.

The Board has been frugal with spending in the years immediately prior to and immediately following Covid. Thus, we had an excess budget, basically a raining day fund to use because we had less people and more in the budget, which we used for OT and incentives. Now, we are expecting to have our budget decreased. That will, of course, reduce the amount of money that we may have to use for OT and incentive. So, to offset that, we are not doing OT or incentives at this time, which will permit the Board to keep that carry-over money for use at a later date. We also hired more people, so we have to pay them as well. Meaning less for other areas. It's just about planning for the worst, i.e., no budget gets passed or we get a severely reduced budget. There are a lot of moving factors.

[Anonymous]

For long-timers, how do you think the new change in regime (Trump) will affect BVA? Remote work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For long-timers, how do you think the new change in regime (Trump) will affect BVA? Remote work?

From prior experience, we are going to get a new VA Secretary. And he/she will appoint a new Board Chairman.

Personally, I think the current secretary and chairman are awful. (And I mean AWFUL). But then again, the devil you know.

As our standards are set for the year, nothing will happen with that. I don't think admin can change it after its agreed upon.

As to remote work, seeing as we have no offices (basically, 2 floors now), ain't no way to bring 1700+ people to DC. Remote work has been with the Board for years, it's not a Covid thing like many other agencies. I think that is safe (fingers crossed). I would waste so much money and time otherwise. As to Judges, I could foresee them being required to have presence as opposed to attorneys being present. But, that's just a random thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For long-timers, how do you think the new change in regime (Trump) will affect BVA? Remote work?

From prior experience, we are going to get a new VA Secretary. And he/she will appoint a new Board Chairman.

Personally, I think the current secretary and chairman are awful. (And I mean AWFUL). But then again, the devil you know.

As our standards are set for the year, nothing will happen with that. I don't think admin can change it after its agreed upon.

As to remote work, seeing as we have no offices (basically, 2 floors now), ain't no way to bring 1700+ people to DC. Remote work has been with the Board for years, it's not a Covid thing like many other agencies. I think that is safe (fingers crossed). I would waste so much money and time otherwise. As to Judges, I could foresee them being required to have presence as opposed to attorneys being present. But, that's just a random thought.

There will also be loyalty tests for VLJs. We saw this during Trump I, so he will do it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For long-timers, how do you think the new change in regime (Trump) will affect BVA? Remote work?

From prior experience, we are going to get a new VA Secretary. And he/she will appoint a new Board Chairman.

Personally, I think the current secretary and chairman are awful. (And I mean AWFUL). But then again, the devil you know.

As our standards are set for the year, nothing will happen with that. I don't think admin can change it after its agreed upon.

As to remote work, seeing as we have no offices (basically, 2 floors now), ain't no way to bring 1700+ people to DC. Remote work has been with the Board for years, it's not a Covid thing like many other agencies. I think that is safe (fingers crossed). I would waste so much money and time otherwise. As to Judges, I could foresee them being required to have presence as opposed to attorneys being present. But, that's just a random thought.

Management can definitely change the standards mid-year. They just have to renegotiate with the union. It’s happened before in 2017.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For long-timers, how do you think the new change in regime (Trump) will affect BVA? Remote work?

From prior experience, we are going to get a new VA Secretary. And he/she will appoint a new Board Chairman.

Personally, I think the current secretary and chairman are awful. (And I mean AWFUL). But then again, the devil you know.

As our standards are set for the year, nothing will happen with that. I don't think admin can change it after its agreed upon.

As to remote work, seeing as we have no offices (basically, 2 floors now), ain't no way to bring 1700+ people to DC. Remote work has been with the Board for years, it's not a Covid thing like many other agencies. I think that is safe (fingers crossed). I would waste so much money and time otherwise. As to Judges, I could foresee them being required to have presence as opposed to attorneys being present. But, that's just a random thought.

I like the current secretary, but he will definitely be leaving, just like most Cabinet level appointees. I don't have any opinion about the Chairman. I don't think much will change with respect to office presence. We are still on track to downsize at Eye Street. This is a trend in federal agencies being asked to reduce leased private office space.