Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)

[Anonymous]

To celebrate our beloved BVA, I have composed a song in her honor:

From the halls of Montezuma to the halls of BVA.

We pledge allegiance to our President, who provides for our daily sustenance.

We copy and paste our way to freedom, one decision template at a time.

We yearned for Big Law but we ended up with Big Balls. ‘Tis is life.

BVA, all the way, hoorah, hoorah.

(repeat 2x)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To celebrate our beloved BVA, I have composed a song in her honor:

From the halls of Montezuma to the halls of BVA.

We pledge allegiance to our President, who provides for our daily sustenance.

We copy and paste our way to freedom, one decision template at a time.

We yearned for Big Law but we ended up with Big Balls. ‘Tis is life.

BVA, all the way, hoorah, hoorah.

(repeat 2x)

Cool.

[Anonymous]

The problem I had when I worked at the Board is the lack of consistency with management. For example, the cases per week changes constantly. Every year you had to worry about it changing. Like, figure it out! I hear there’s no longer an issue track. I also hear there are no incentive programs and overtime no longer exists. One thing I can say about the private sector is that incentive programs typically stay constant at firms, and you have a good understanding of your work load — even if it is a lot — but you’re at least rewarded for having to work hard or to work unpaid overtime with bonuses. Telling the workforce good job for the prior year when they were the engine who overshot your goal and then responding by increasing their workload without any incentives for succeeding under those challenging circumstances (in this economy) is just diabolical and a sign of leadership who doesn’t care. If they can hire, stay away. At least with doc review, you won’t be forced to work unpaid overtime or at least be paid it if it’s authorized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem I had when I worked at the Board is the lack of consistency with management. For example, the cases per week changes constantly. Every year you had to worry about it changing. Like, figure it out! I hear there’s no longer an issue track. I also hear there are no incentive programs and overtime no longer exists. One thing I can say about the private sector is that incentive programs typically stay constant at firms, and you have a good understanding of your work load — even if it is a lot — but you’re at least rewarded for having to work hard or to work unpaid overtime with bonuses. Telling the workforce good job for the prior year when they were the engine who overshot your goal and then responding by increasing their workload without any incentives for succeeding under those challenging circumstances (in this economy) is just diabolical and a sign of leadership who doesn’t care. If they can hire, stay away. At least with doc review, you won’t be forced to work unpaid overtime or at least be paid it if it’s authorized.

Management can get away with being terrible because they know that most BVA attorneys do not have good exit options. Sure, there’s work in the private sector for BVA attorneys. However, these jobs pay much less than BVA. That’s probably why BVA attorneys suck it up and keep their heads down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem I had when I worked at the Board is the lack of consistency with management. For example, the cases per week changes constantly. Every year you had to worry about it changing. Like, figure it out! I hear there’s no longer an issue track. I also hear there are no incentive programs and overtime no longer exists. One thing I can say about the private sector is that incentive programs typically stay constant at firms, and you have a good understanding of your work load — even if it is a lot — but you’re at least rewarded for having to work hard or to work unpaid overtime with bonuses. Telling the workforce good job for the prior year when they were the engine who overshot your goal and then responding by increasing their workload without any incentives for succeeding under those challenging circumstances (in this economy) is just diabolical and a sign of leadership who doesn’t care. If they can hire, stay away. At least with doc review, you won’t be forced to work unpaid overtime or at least be paid it if it’s authorized.

Management can get away with being terrible because they know that most BVA attorneys do not have good exit options. Sure, there’s work in the private sector for BVA attorneys. However, these jobs pay much less than BVA. That’s probably why BVA attorneys suck it up and keep their heads down.

Very true. Their continued messaging of "You're all working hard! You should be sooo proud of yourselves!!" is super hollow, meaningless, and shows that they care not for the administrative staff and attorneys who do the actual work at the Board.

[Anonymous]

Does management receive bonuses? If everyone else must go without incentive pay, they should too. You know, to protect the taxpayer’s money as they like to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does management receive bonuses? If everyone else must go without incentive pay, they should too. You know, to protect the taxpayer’s money as they like to say.

The union seems to think that the SESs get low 5-figure bonuses. Maybe that sort of thing is public record? My judge has said that the VLJs have not gotten bonuses in decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does management receive bonuses? If everyone else must go without incentive pay, they should too. You know, to protect the taxpayer’s money as they like to say.

The union seems to think that the SESs get low 5-figure bonuses. Maybe that sort of thing is public record? My judge has said that the VLJs have not gotten bonuses in decades.

Meanwhile, still no Y25 bonuses for us.

[Anonymous]

Someone should do a study on the costs that the major veterans law firms impose on the taxpayer and the economy. Not just the direct stuff like the $10k EAJA fees they collect for their three page briefs, but also second order effects like the loss in productivity that comes from hundreds of thousands of people being awarded a tax-free middle class income for life during their peak earning years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone should do a study on the costs that the major veterans law firms impose on the taxpayer and the economy. Not just the direct stuff like the $10k EAJA fees they collect for their three page briefs, but also second order effects like the loss in productivity that comes from hundreds of thousands of people being awarded a tax-free middle class income for life during their peak earning years.

I agree with you completely, but you and I both know that both Democrats and Republicans lack the political will to end the gravy train for fear of appearing anti-veteran.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does management receive bonuses? If everyone else must go without incentive pay, they should too. You know, to protect the taxpayer’s money as they like to say.

The union seems to think that the SESs get low 5-figure bonuses. Maybe that sort of thing is public record? My judge has said that the VLJs have not gotten bonuses in decades.

Meanwhile, still no Y25 bonuses for us.

They are coming, apparently. Bonuses have been paid out as late as June in prior years, so it may still be some time before anyone actually gets them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone should do a study on the costs that the major veterans law firms impose on the taxpayer and the economy. Not just the direct stuff like the $10k EAJA fees they collect for their three page briefs, but also second order effects like the loss in productivity that comes from hundreds of thousands of people being awarded a tax-free middle class income for life during their peak earning years.

I agree with you completely, but you and I both know that both Democrats and Republicans lack the political will to end the gravy train for fear of appearing anti-veteran.

Eventually it's going to come to a head. The system has grown massively in the last 25 years, both in terms of the number of people on it and the average rating. Since the 1980s, the overall veteran population has halved while the number of people on VA disability has increased threefold. Over 30% of people with a rating are now at 100%/TDIU while historically it was 5-10%.

It's not sustainable. It's going to breed resentment in the broader population that I think will eventually take the form of legislative reform.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone should do a study on the costs that the major veterans law firms impose on the taxpayer and the economy. Not just the direct stuff like the $10k EAJA fees they collect for their three page briefs, but also second order effects like the loss in productivity that comes from hundreds of thousands of people being awarded a tax-free middle class income for life during their peak earning years.

I agree with you completely, but you and I both know that both Democrats and Republicans lack the political will to end the gravy train for fear of appearing anti-veteran.

Eventually it's going to come to a head. The system has grown massively in the last 25 years, both in terms of the number of people on it and the average rating. Since the 1980s, the overall veteran population has halved while the number of people on VA disability has increased threefold. Over 30% of people with a rating are now at 100%/TDIU while historically it was 5-10%.

It's not sustainable. It's going to breed resentment in the broader population that I think will eventually take the form of legislative reform.

Tell me about it. Fellow vets hear I used to work at VA, and I'm swamped with folks wanting to know how to get 100%. A guy in my run club ran a marathon last year (not his first) and he's 100% P&T (but still employed with a lucrative government consulting job). It's just become another hustle these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does management receive bonuses? If everyone else must go without incentive pay, they should too. You know, to protect the taxpayer’s money as they like to say.

The union seems to think that the SESs get low 5-figure bonuses. Maybe that sort of thing is public record? My judge has said that the VLJs have not gotten bonuses in decades.

Meanwhile, still no Y25 bonuses for us.

They are coming, apparently. Bonuses have been paid out as late as June in prior years, so it may still be some time before anyone actually gets them.

Damn, mine hit mid-Feb last year and the rest of VA got theirs already. Thanks BVA!

[Anonymous]

Has anyone moved/changed localities since this administration started?