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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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Anonymous wrote:Last year it was 4% of salary for Outstanding (equivalent to about one paycheck). Lower payouts for lower tiers of bonuses.

I don't see a category for "outstanding."

You're gonna have to tell us what you're looking at before we can help you.

Aren't the categories fully successful and exceptional?

If you are rated as “exceptional” in all critical performance categories, that equates to an “outstanding” overall rating and qualifies you for the bonus this year. From my understanding, unlike in prior years where you’d get some level of bonus just for having exceptional ratings in some categories, you have to have the full “outstanding” to get anything this year.

I wish there were real leadership at the BVA. It seems like these days all we have is rumors and rumors of rumors. No real information. re: bonuses, I went looking for the old employee recognition program memo from a few years ago, but it looks like it was removed from the SharePoint at some point. All bets are off at this point!

Yep, we are just free-wheeling hoping for any scraps for going at above and beyond.

This year, BVA can kick rocks because I’m not trying for more than FS when they cancelled our union, raised productio, and have confirmed NO bonuses are happening for Y26.

Wait, when did they confirm no bonuses for fy26?

Our SSC has been saying it for awhile. But do they “confirm” anything, ever? No, because they want us to keep our heads down and keep eating shit with a smile for their illusory carrot on a stick.

Like we just had ICARE/writing awards… with no actual award beyond general recognition. And those were quarterly before, with an actual monetary/time off award.

Also:

https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/12/trump-limit-top-ratings-all-feds-and-consolidate-scoring-forthcoming-rule/410246/

So good luck getting a bonus this year, even if they do surprise us that bonuses exist for Y26. As stated above, I’ll do the minimum required after continuous demotions from this garbage admin.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year it was 4% of salary for Outstanding (equivalent to about one paycheck). Lower payouts for lower tiers of bonuses.

I don't see a category for "outstanding."

You're gonna have to tell us what you're looking at before we can help you.

Aren't the categories fully successful and exceptional?

If you are rated as “exceptional” in all critical performance categories, that equates to an “outstanding” overall rating and qualifies you for the bonus this year. From my understanding, unlike in prior years where you’d get some level of bonus just for having exceptional ratings in some categories, you have to have the full “outstanding” to get anything this year.

I wish there were real leadership at the BVA. It seems like these days all we have is rumors and rumors of rumors. No real information. re: bonuses, I went looking for the old employee recognition program memo from a few years ago, but it looks like it was removed from the SharePoint at some point. All bets are off at this point!

Yep, we are just free-wheeling hoping for any scraps for going at above and beyond.

This year, BVA can kick rocks because I’m not trying for more than FS when they cancelled our union, raised productio, and have confirmed NO bonuses are happening for Y26.

Wait, when did they confirm no bonuses for fy26?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year it was 4% of salary for Outstanding (equivalent to about one paycheck). Lower payouts for lower tiers of bonuses.

I don't see a category for "outstanding."

You're gonna have to tell us what you're looking at before we can help you.

Aren't the categories fully successful and exceptional?

If you are rated as “exceptional” in all critical performance categories, that equates to an “outstanding” overall rating and qualifies you for the bonus this year. From my understanding, unlike in prior years where you’d get some level of bonus just for having exceptional ratings in some categories, you have to have the full “outstanding” to get anything this year.

I wish there were real leadership at the BVA. It seems like these days all we have is rumors and rumors of rumors. No real information. re: bonuses, I went looking for the old employee recognition program memo from a few years ago, but it looks like it was removed from the SharePoint at some point. All bets are off at this point!

Yep, we are just free-wheeling hoping for any scraps for going at above and beyond.

This year, BVA can kick rocks because I’m not trying for more than FS when they cancelled our union, raised productio, and have confirmed NO bonuses are happening for Y26.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last year it was 4% of salary for Outstanding (equivalent to about one paycheck). Lower payouts for lower tiers of bonuses.

I don't see a category for "outstanding."

You're gonna have to tell us what you're looking at before we can help you.

Aren't the categories fully successful and exceptional?

If you are rated as “exceptional” in all critical performance categories, that equates to an “outstanding” overall rating and qualifies you for the bonus this year. From my understanding, unlike in prior years where you’d get some level of bonus just for having exceptional ratings in some categories, you have to have the full “outstanding” to get anything this year.

I wish there were real leadership at the BVA. It seems like these days all we have is rumors and rumors of rumors. No real information. re: bonuses, I went looking for the old employee recognition program memo from a few years ago, but it looks like it was removed from the SharePoint at some point. All bets are off at this point!