Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone earlier, who was thinking of applying to this position, had posted something along the lines of...if they were unable to meet quota, they would just resign. Let's say if that's the case, you are behind on your quota and you VOLUNTARILY quit (so not because you are on PIP etc) , and then later on in your career, you decide you want to come back to BVA, would your previous inability to meet quota negatively affect future hiring opportunities?

If you were unable to meet the quota during your first stint at BVA, it is unlikely that management will want to rehire you. However, even if BVA rehires you, what makes you think that you would be able to meet the quota during your second stint? The bigger question is why would you want to return to a workplace where you were unable to perform?

I think its possible you COULD come back, depending on your circumstances, attitude when you resigned, how long of a gap there is in your dates of service, and what you did in between.

But yeah. Trust me, if you leave BVA because you didnt meet the quota, you wont want to come back. There have been people who left for other reasons and came back and did just fine.

[Anonymous]

Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

Like most agencies, BVA offers flexible schedules; however, you can't make up work hours during the weekend. Depending on your judge, you may have to work uncompensated hours on the weekends (in addition to 40 hours a week) just to meet the quota.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I think the official answer is that you would need to take leave for those hours. However, if you were on a flex schedule and you had Friday off, you could make those hours up on Friday. Or you could switch your off day from Friday to the day of the field trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

having read this thread the answer seems to be: you can probably flex out your hours by working extra on nights and weekends, as long as you get your work done... but the workload is so shitty that you'll have to be working more than 40 hours worth of work (sometimes much more if you get a bad judge). So you'll already be doing some degree of nights and weekends which will limit your ability to "catch up" if you're constantly not working during the day.

as to your specific example, I think if you're flexing out a whole day you'd need to schedule leave in case someone tries to reach you, that's a lot of work to catch up. Now if you had just wanted to flex an hour or two a few times it might be more feasible to catch up later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

having read this thread the answer seems to be: you can probably flex out your hours by working extra on nights and weekends, as long as you get your work done... but the workload is so shitty that you'll have to be working more than 40 hours worth of work (sometimes much more if you get a bad judge). So you'll already be doing some degree of nights and weekends which will limit your ability to "catch up" if you're constantly not working during the day.

as to your specific example, I think if you're flexing out a whole day you'd need to schedule leave in case someone tries to reach you, that's a lot of work to catch up. Now if you had just wanted to flex an hour or two a few times it might be more feasible to catch up later.

Attorneys at the Board cannot work on Saturday and Sunday to make up lost work hours. They must complete their full 40 hour tour on weekdays or take leave. Officially, only attorneys who have been approved to work paid overtime can work on Saturday and Sunday - attorneys must draft additional decisions (in addition to the quota) to qualify for paid overtime. In practice, many attorneys work unpaid overtime on the down low just to meet the quota - if management finds out that an attorney is working unpaid overtime during the weekend, that attorney will likely face disciplinary action (it's an open secret that many Board attorneys work unpaid overtime, but management doesn't want to know about that).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

You are talking about flex hours during the week. What you describe is generally permissible at the Board and at many other agencies. The poster, however, wants to know whether she can make up work hours on the weekend so that she can go on the field trips during the week. The answer is no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

You are talking about flex hours during the week. What you describe is generally permissible at the Board and at many other agencies. The poster, however, wants to know whether she can make up work hours on the weekend so that she can go on the field trips during the week. The answer is no.

Right. They wont let you make up time on the weekends. The reasoning is somewhat unclear, I assume it has to do with pay periods beginning on Sundays. I think it has more to do with management being able to pretend to not know how much unpaid overtime people work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

You are talking about flex hours during the week. What you describe is generally permissible at the Board and at many other agencies. The poster, however, wants to know whether she can make up work hours on the weekend so that she can go on the field trips during the week. The answer is no.

You can work on weekend if you aren’t stupid about it. I was told not to send emails or submit work for review on the weekend.

You can work all you want, no one is going to check what you’re doing and when in CaseFlow. Just don’t submit or send emails - bank your work and hit submit during the work week. And the only reason anyone cares is because of the union, which makes a big stink about working hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

You are talking about flex hours during the week. What you describe is generally permissible at the Board and at many other agencies. The poster, however, wants to know whether she can make up work hours on the weekend so that she can go on the field trips during the week. The answer is no.

You can work on weekend if you aren’t stupid about it. I was told not to send emails or submit work for review on the weekend.

You can work all you want, no one is going to check what you’re doing and when in CaseFlow. Just don’t submit or send emails - bank your work and hit submit during the work week. And the only reason anyone cares is because of the union, which makes a big stink about working hours.

Yes, BVA judges all know that most attorneys have to work on the weekends to meet the quota. It's an open secret. But, you can't say that you're working on the weekends to meet the quota. If say that, you'll be disciplined. Prior to Covid, most attorneys would just say that they're "hanging out" at BVA on the weekends. Now, attorneys can work 24/7 from the comfort of their home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

You are talking about flex hours during the week. What you describe is generally permissible at the Board and at many other agencies. The poster, however, wants to know whether she can make up work hours on the weekend so that she can go on the field trips during the week. The answer is no.

You can work on weekend if you aren’t stupid about it. I was told not to send emails or submit work for review on the weekend.

You can work all you want, no one is going to check what you’re doing and when in CaseFlow. Just don’t submit or send emails - bank your work and hit submit during the work week. And the only reason anyone cares is because of the union, which makes a big stink about working hours.

Yes, BVA judges all know that most attorneys have to work on the weekends to meet the quota. It's an open secret. But, you can't say that you're working on the weekends to meet the quota. If say that, you'll be disciplined. Prior to Covid, most attorneys would just say that they're "hanging out" at BVA on the weekends. Now, attorneys can work 24/7 from the comfort of their home.

That stupid union, making sure you get paid for the hours you work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

You are talking about flex hours during the week. What you describe is generally permissible at the Board and at many other agencies. The poster, however, wants to know whether she can make up work hours on the weekend so that she can go on the field trips during the week. The answer is no.

You can work on weekend if you aren’t stupid about it. I was told not to send emails or submit work for review on the weekend.

You can work all you want, no one is going to check what you’re doing and when in CaseFlow. Just don’t submit or send emails - bank your work and hit submit during the work week. And the only reason anyone cares is because of the union, which makes a big stink about working hours.

The Union's position is that the job requirements should be reasonable and people shouldn't have to wok 50 hours a week to do the job. I do not think that's unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

You are talking about flex hours during the week. What you describe is generally permissible at the Board and at many other agencies. The poster, however, wants to know whether she can make up work hours on the weekend so that she can go on the field trips during the week. The answer is no.

You can work on weekend if you aren’t stupid about it. I was told not to send emails or submit work for review on the weekend.

You can work all you want, no one is going to check what you’re doing and when in CaseFlow. Just don’t submit or send emails - bank your work and hit submit during the work week. And the only reason anyone cares is because of the union, which makes a big stink about working hours.

Re: "I was told not to send emails or submit work for review on the weekend."

You make that seem like a good thing.

The reason why the union makes a big stink about working hours is because many attorneys at the Board have to work in excess of 40 hours a week to meet the quota. I know many attorneys who work on average 50-60 hours a week to meet the weekly production standard. By working unpaid overtime and failing to account for these hours, these attorneys really screw themselves and their colleagues over because management can claim that the quota is reasonable and attainable within 40 hours a week when in reality it is not (unless you're assigned to a nice judge and/or one with a high grant rate). That's the problem that the union tried to address in demanding that management account for the work hours of Board attorneys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does BVA care when you do your work? For example, if my kid has a class trip on a weekday and I want to go, but I’m willing to work a day on the weekend to keep on track and meet 40 hrs per week, does anyone care? Or are you expected to be behind the computer at set times?

I'm not sure what these people are talking about. This kind of thing happens all the time.

The key is to set your work schedule so you have some flex time built in. If you work a 40 hour week over four days, that leaves one weekday as your flex day or benefit day as some call it. You are off that day so you can do what you want and are not expected to be working. For most people that is Friday, but it can be whatever day you choose. So, If little suzy has a field trip on Wednesday and you want to go, all you would need to do is email your supervisor and say "My benefit day is Friday, but little Suzy has a field trip on Wednesday. Do you mind if I take my benefit day Wednesday and work on Friday instead?" and, absent some very odd reasons, your supervisor will respond and say "Sure, have fun!" It is quite common at the Board.

You are talking about flex hours during the week. What you describe is generally permissible at the Board and at many other agencies. The poster, however, wants to know whether she can make up work hours on the weekend so that she can go on the field trips during the week. The answer is no.

You can work on weekend if you aren’t stupid about it. I was told not to send emails or submit work for review on the weekend.

You can work all you want, no one is going to check what you’re doing and when in CaseFlow. Just don’t submit or send emails - bank your work and hit submit during the work week. And the only reason anyone cares is because of the union, which makes a big stink about working hours.

Re: "I was told not to send emails or submit work for review on the weekend."

You make that seem like a good thing.

The reason why the union makes a big stink about working hours is because many attorneys at the Board have to work in excess of 40 hours a week to meet the quota. I know many attorneys who work on average 50-60 hours a week to meet the weekly production standard. By working unpaid overtime and failing to account for these hours, these attorneys really screw themselves and their colleagues over because management can claim that the quota is reasonable and attainable within 40 hours a week when in reality it is not (unless you're assigned to a nice judge and/or one with a high grant rate). That's the problem that the union tried to address in demanding that management account for the work hours of Board attorneys.

All true things. The Board management puts attorneys in a bad spot. If you refuse to work unpaid overtime, a lot of people will be fired because they don't meet the quota. If you work unpaid overtime and management winks and nods and pretends it didn't happen, you have a better chance of keeping your job, but management gets to pretend that the quota is fair.