Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

USPTO has been called back. If they can’t get an exemption, then I don’t see how the Board will.

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It will depend on whether they are willing or able to get more space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

USPTO has been called back. If they can’t get an exemption, then I don’t see how the Board will.

.
It will depend on whether they are willing or able to get more space.

what is crazy is that the EO specifically exempted VA yet the actings keep pushing out these memos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

+1 (Vets will be put at such a disservice otherwise). It's bad they already have to wait due to the Covid backlog, but now they would have to wait even longer because of needless politics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

+1 (Vets will be put at such a disservice otherwise). It's bad they already have to wait due to the Covid backlog, but now they would have to wait even longer because of needless politics.

+1

The Union should accept an increase to the quota in exchange for full time telework and remote work. I’m willing to accept increases to the quota up to five signed case credits a week/260 signed case credits a year with proration for leave, training, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

+1 (Vets will be put at such a disservice otherwise). It's bad they already have to wait due to the Covid backlog, but now they would have to wait even longer because of needless politics.

+1

The Union should accept an increase to the quota in exchange for full time telework and remote work. I’m willing to accept increases to the quota up to five signed case credits a week/260 signed case credits a year with proration for leave, training, etc.

go away troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

+1 (Vets will be put at such a disservice otherwise). It's bad they already have to wait due to the Covid backlog, but now they would have to wait even longer because of needless politics.

+1

The Union should accept an increase to the quota in exchange for full time telework and remote work. I’m willing to accept increases to the quota up to five signed case credits a week/260 signed case credits a year with proration for leave, training, etc.

go away troll.

It is just a suggestion. Beggars can’t be choosers. Doug and Calanit can consider it or not.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if the BVA Judges have to return to the office? I think there are quite a few who took the job because it is fully remote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if the BVA Judges have to return to the office? I think there are quite a few who took the job because it is fully remote.

It's unclear at the moment. The office at 425 I does not have enough space to accomodate all the judges and the attorneys who have in office work agreements. We should get more guidance after the new secretary is confirmed (probably this week).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

+1 (Vets will be put at such a disservice otherwise). It's bad they already have to wait due to the Covid backlog, but now they would have to wait even longer because of needless politics.

+1

The Union should accept an increase to the quota in exchange for full time telework and remote work. I’m willing to accept increases to the quota up to five signed case credits a week/260 signed case credits a year with proration for leave, training, etc.

Honestly, I can see something like that occurring, and I too am not necessarily opposed to such an idea. 260 cases, however, would be untenable, not just for any attorney but the VLJ that has to review and sign 260x8(attorneys) = 2080 decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

+1 (Vets will be put at such a disservice otherwise). It's bad they already have to wait due to the Covid backlog, but now they would have to wait even longer because of needless politics.

+1

The Union should accept an increase to the quota in exchange for full time telework and remote work. I’m willing to accept increases to the quota up to five signed case credits a week/260 signed case credits a year with proration for leave, training, etc.

Honestly, I can see something like that occurring, and I too am not necessarily opposed to such an idea. 260 cases, however, would be untenable, not just for any attorney but the VLJ that has to review and sign 260x8(attorneys) = 2080 decisions.

I would rather go in office than have to work this many cases

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully when we get a new Secretary, they will just exempt the entire Board once they get their head out of their derriere.

+1 (Vets will be put at such a disservice otherwise). It's bad they already have to wait due to the Covid backlog, but now they would have to wait even longer because of needless politics.

+1

The Union should accept an increase to the quota in exchange for full time telework and remote work. I’m willing to accept increases to the quota up to five signed case credits a week/260 signed case credits a year with proration for leave, training, etc.

The Union does not come into it at all unless the space issue is resolved. There is no way to fit all the employees in the office space the Board has now.

[Anonymous]

I think a more realistic move is that unless you're remote as the result of an accommodation or due to being a military spouse, you're going to be required to report to work in a cubical at your local VA facility. Recalling everyone to DC is unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a more realistic move is that unless you're remote as the result of an accommodation or due to being a military spouse, you're going to be required to report to work in a cubical at your local VA facility. Recalling everyone to DC is unlikely.

This could also be a problem.The Board previously had work at home employees report to the Washington DC Regional Office, and the Regional Office did not have enough desk space for all of them. This occurred in 2017 or 2018. The policy was then reversed and the work at home employees returned to 425 I St.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a more realistic move is that unless you're remote as the result of an accommodation or due to being a military spouse, you're going to be required to report to work in a cubical at your local VA facility. Recalling everyone to DC is unlikely.

This could also be a problem.The Board previously had work at home employees report to the Washington DC Regional Office, and the Regional Office did not have enough desk space for all of them. This occurred in 2017 or 2018. The policy was then reversed and the work at home employees returned to 425 I St.

I remember that fiasco. Personally, I think management should cut headcount at the Board by 25% and increase the quota to 200 signed decisions per year to be fully successful. In exchange for a leaner and more productive Board, VA should allow exempt the Board from RTO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a more realistic move is that unless you're remote as the result of an accommodation or due to being a military spouse, you're going to be required to report to work in a cubical at your local VA facility. Recalling everyone to DC is unlikely.

This could also be a problem.The Board previously had work at home employees report to the Washington DC Regional Office, and the Regional Office did not have enough desk space for all of them. This occurred in 2017 or 2018. The policy was then reversed and the work at home employees returned to 425 I St.

I remember that fiasco. Personally, I think management should cut headcount at the Board by 25% and increase the quota to 200 signed decisions per year to be fully successful. In exchange for a leaner and more productive Board, VA should allow exempt the Board from RTO.

They could do that by simply not retaining any of the 200+ new hires, but then it's not addressing the folks that won't hang at the increased production quota. In short, the Board will perform more poorly and not provide adequate service to Veterans.