Anonymous
Post 02/16/2021 07:00     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I heard a rumor that one of the Judges is voluntarily going back to being a decision writer. Does anyone know why? Is it workload cost/benefit analysis or was it something unrelated in their personal life?


I heard that as well. Apparently this judge got tired of the VLJ quota, which has also been increased in the past few years. There's barely any time to review cases anymore, at least in a 40-hour work week. Judges are either forced to sign almost anything with little to no review, or work unpaid overtime to make sure cases are done correctly.


What is so hard about being a VLJ? Can't they just beat you harder to produce more then sign off on it?


That's exactly my thought. I think the VLJ is making a huge mistake. Unlike decision writers, VLJs have added job protection and the ability to blame any mistakes on the decision writers. By returning to the decision writer role, the VLJ is losing all of that protection.


Because if you have any self respect and honesty, you're working 60 hours a week as a VLJ. If you think it's not hard work being a VLJ then you haven't met a good one yet. If they're doing what they are supposed to be doing, their job is much harder than being a decision writer
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 19:32     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I heard a rumor that one of the Judges is voluntarily going back to being a decision writer. Does anyone know why? Is it workload cost/benefit analysis or was it something unrelated in their personal life?


I heard that as well. Apparently this judge got tired of the VLJ quota, which has also been increased in the past few years. There's barely any time to review cases anymore, at least in a 40-hour work week. Judges are either forced to sign almost anything with little to no review, or work unpaid overtime to make sure cases are done correctly.


What is so hard about being a VLJ? Can't they just beat you harder to produce more then sign off on it?


That's exactly my thought. I think the VLJ is making a huge mistake. Unlike decision writers, VLJs have added job protection and the ability to blame any mistakes on the decision writers. By returning to the decision writer role, the VLJ is losing all of that protection.


I'd agree. Maybe the VLJ just has too much integrity to just sign any draft that crosses one's desk? Who knows? It's a hard decision to understand. I can't imagine going from a VLJ back to a decision-writer, and being subject to that quota again. More work, less pay, and less protection? It's just very odd.


VLJs cant be fired, that's true, but they're under other kinds of other pressurse to sign decisions and to do a lot of other admin jobs. Depending on the pay difference, I could see one making the decision to think that for a little less money they can just hit the attorney quota instead of dealing with all the other work.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 16:23     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I heard a rumor that one of the Judges is voluntarily going back to being a decision writer. Does anyone know why? Is it workload cost/benefit analysis or was it something unrelated in their personal life?


I heard that as well. Apparently this judge got tired of the VLJ quota, which has also been increased in the past few years. There's barely any time to review cases anymore, at least in a 40-hour work week. Judges are either forced to sign almost anything with little to no review, or work unpaid overtime to make sure cases are done correctly.


What is so hard about being a VLJ? Can't they just beat you harder to produce more then sign off on it?


That's exactly my thought. I think the VLJ is making a huge mistake. Unlike decision writers, VLJs have added job protection and the ability to blame any mistakes on the decision writers. By returning to the decision writer role, the VLJ is losing all of that protection.


I'd agree. Maybe the VLJ just has too much integrity to just sign any draft that crosses one's desk? Who knows? It's a hard decision to understand. I can't imagine going from a VLJ back to a decision-writer, and being subject to that quota again. More work, less pay, and less protection? It's just very odd.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 15:27     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I heard a rumor that one of the Judges is voluntarily going back to being a decision writer. Does anyone know why? Is it workload cost/benefit analysis or was it something unrelated in their personal life?


I heard that as well. Apparently this judge got tired of the VLJ quota, which has also been increased in the past few years. There's barely any time to review cases anymore, at least in a 40-hour work week. Judges are either forced to sign almost anything with little to no review, or work unpaid overtime to make sure cases are done correctly.


What is so hard about being a VLJ? Can't they just beat you harder to produce more then sign off on it?


That's exactly my thought. I think the VLJ is making a huge mistake. Unlike decision writers, VLJs have added job protection and the ability to blame any mistakes on the decision writers. By returning to the decision writer role, the VLJ is losing all of that protection.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 15:18     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I heard a rumor that one of the Judges is voluntarily going back to being a decision writer. Does anyone know why? Is it workload cost/benefit analysis or was it something unrelated in their personal life?


I heard that as well. Apparently this judge got tired of the VLJ quota, which has also been increased in the past few years. There's barely any time to review cases anymore, at least in a 40-hour work week. Judges are either forced to sign almost anything with little to no review, or work unpaid overtime to make sure cases are done correctly.


What is so hard about being a VLJ? Can't they just beat you harder to produce more then sign off on it?
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 14:33     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:I heard a rumor that one of the Judges is voluntarily going back to being a decision writer. Does anyone know why? Is it workload cost/benefit analysis or was it something unrelated in their personal life?


I heard that as well. Apparently this judge got tired of the VLJ quota, which has also been increased in the past few years. There's barely any time to review cases anymore, at least in a 40-hour work week. Judges are either forced to sign almost anything with little to no review, or work unpaid overtime to make sure cases are done correctly.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 14:31     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I was just directed to this thread by a co-worker at the Board. I've been at the Board for 10+ years, and it's an absolutely terrible place to work. Management says all the right things ("We care about our workers, and we want to help you succeed in your career!") but those are just words. Their actions are completely different - they keep trying to increase the workload, limit the number of pro-rated activities to reduce your workload, and provide almost no support whatsoever. They also play favorites when it comes to advancement. I've literally had co-workers told in advance they're getting certain promotions, even before the position is posted! So much for having a "fair" shot!



Wow. sounds like its been a long 10 years. Would you say it is worse now than it was before? Have the new technological changes made the job any easier? Was there ever a time when management wasn't openly hostile? Do you think Biden's administration will make positive changes that make it less miserable?


It's definitely gotten worse over time. Management's own data shows the cases are increasing both in size and in number of issues, yet they want to keep increasing the quota when the actual facts say the quota should decrease, to account for the increase in case volume/complexity. Plus, they think the transition to fully-digital files makes our work easier, when it actually makes it harder, due to network slow-downs and other computer issues. The only upside is the fact we can now be fully-remote, which is nice. It makes it harder for managers to harass you about your productivity when they can't do it in person.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 14:29     Subject: Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:
Case in point, a probationary BVA attorney contacted the VA Harassment Prevention Office to complain that her judge was constantly harassing her. Following an investigation, the Anti-Harassment Coordinator asked the attorney’s Chief Veterans Law Judge to reassign the attorney to another judge. However, within one week of receiving the transfer request from the Anti-Harassment Coordinator, the attorney’s Chief VLJ fired the attorney using poor performance as a pretext - the attorney had just received a good performance rating on her annual appraisal.. Shortly thereafter, upper management promoted the Chief VLJ to the ranks of upper management. Because the attorney who was fired was probationary, she could not appeal the firing. She has been unable to find a job as attorney. BVA ended her legal career.



That’s awful but it also must be pretty dated as they no longer have chief VLJs there



OMG this is horrible. In the era of #MeToo, this needs to be investigated. Biden said he’d fire folks for acting a fool. Take screenshots of this, and tweet it to everyone imo, the media, organizations, politicians. This is a scandal his administration doesn’t need to be tied to. This entire thread is whistleblowing.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 10:15     Subject: Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:
Case in point, a probationary BVA attorney contacted the VA Harassment Prevention Office to complain that her judge was constantly harassing her. Following an investigation, the Anti-Harassment Coordinator asked the attorney’s Chief Veterans Law Judge to reassign the attorney to another judge. However, within one week of receiving the transfer request from the Anti-Harassment Coordinator, the attorney’s Chief VLJ fired the attorney using poor performance as a pretext - the attorney had just received a good performance rating on her annual appraisal.. Shortly thereafter, upper management promoted the Chief VLJ to the ranks of upper management. Because the attorney who was fired was probationary, she could not appeal the firing. She has been unable to find a job as attorney. BVA ended her legal career.



That’s awful but it also must be pretty dated as they no longer have chief VLJs there


This happened in February 2018. The managers involved are still in the ranks of upper management at the Board.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 10:13     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:


Unfortunately, management views anyone who voices any concern as a complainer. ....


This is very true and not just of management. The attitude seems to be if you have a problem it’s YOUR problem. Considering those with complaints to be whiners seems to permeate the culture. if you have a problem, the solution may be to get out because it quickly becomes apparent that no one really cares. Some people do seem to sympathize, but there isn’t anything they can do.


I agree with you. There's a lot of attorneys at BVA who try to ingratiate themselves with management by attacking coworkers who voice concerns about discrimination and harassment. Attorneys who side with management get promoted very quickly. I know one judge who was promoted from GS-09 attorney to Veterans Law Judge in approximately eight years because she served as management's attack dog and willingly destroyed the careers of anyone disliked by management - this judge, who is currently serving, is known internally by some as the "witch with the red pen" because whenever upper management wanted a complainer to resign (i.e., someone who complained about discrimination/harassment), the judge would use a red pen to heavily mark up the victim's work product with criticism so that the complainer would lose confidence/become traumatized and resign. I should note that the the EEOC recently found that the Board subjected a GS-15 supervisory senior counsel to discrimination by firing him after he requested reasonable accommodation for a disability. I'm 99 percent sure that the Board will take no action against the managers who engaged in the discrimination - as a general practice, upper management does not discipline managers and judge who engage in discrimination/harassment unless the victims of the discrimination/harassment are upper management (i.e., the Forum of Hate scandal).

Link to EEOC case: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/decisions/2020_12_07/2019003149.pdf
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 09:20     Subject: Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Case in point, a probationary BVA attorney contacted the VA Harassment Prevention Office to complain that her judge was constantly harassing her. Following an investigation, the Anti-Harassment Coordinator asked the attorney’s Chief Veterans Law Judge to reassign the attorney to another judge. However, within one week of receiving the transfer request from the Anti-Harassment Coordinator, the attorney’s Chief VLJ fired the attorney using poor performance as a pretext - the attorney had just received a good performance rating on her annual appraisal.. Shortly thereafter, upper management promoted the Chief VLJ to the ranks of upper management. Because the attorney who was fired was probationary, she could not appeal the firing. She has been unable to find a job as attorney. BVA ended her legal career.



That’s awful but it also must be pretty dated as they no longer have chief VLJs there
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 09:13     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)


Unfortunately, management views anyone who voices any concern as a complainer. ....


This is very true and not just of management. The attitude seems to be if you have a problem it’s YOUR problem. Considering those with complaints to be whiners seems to permeate the culture. if you have a problem, the solution may be to get out because it quickly becomes apparent that no one really cares. Some people do seem to sympathize, but there isn’t anything they can do.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2021 06:55     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
I heard a rumor that one of the Judges is voluntarily going back to being a decision writer. Does anyone know why? Is it workload cost/benefit analysis or was it something unrelated in their personal life?
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2021 19:21     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:I was just directed to this thread by a co-worker at the Board. I've been at the Board for 10+ years, and it's an absolutely terrible place to work. Management says all the right things ("We care about our workers, and we want to help you succeed in your career!") but those are just words. Their actions are completely different - they keep trying to increase the workload, limit the number of pro-rated activities to reduce your workload, and provide almost no support whatsoever. They also play favorites when it comes to advancement. I've literally had co-workers told in advance they're getting certain promotions, even before the position is posted! So much for having a "fair" shot!



Wow. sounds like its been a long 10 years. Would you say it is worse now than it was before? Have the new technological changes made the job any easier? Was there ever a time when management wasn't openly hostile? Do you think Biden's administration will make positive changes that make it less miserable?
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2021 16:50     Subject: Re:Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)
Anonymous wrote:I was just directed to this thread by a co-worker at the Board. I've been at the Board for 10+ years, and it's an absolutely terrible place to work. Management says all the right things ("We care about our workers, and we want to help you succeed in your career!") but those are just words. Their actions are completely different - they keep trying to increase the workload, limit the number of pro-rated activities to reduce your workload, and provide almost no support whatsoever. They also play favorites when it comes to advancement. I've literally had co-workers told in advance they're getting certain promotions, even before the position is posted! So much for having a "fair" shot!


+1

Welcome to the BVA love fest!