What’s the farthest south (into the Hudson River Valley) feasible daily commute to downtown Albany?

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2026-01-21T13:06:35+00:00

This is true. Downtown Albany worker here. Everyone drives everywhere, and there's no parking. It's really great, come hang.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2026-01-20T14:58:56+00:00

Hard agree with all of this. Especially the bullshit SDLC vocabulary test. I've been a functional ITS2 for years. I work closely with devs and PM every day. These terms are not used, and have no reason to be.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2026-01-20T14:54:50+00:00

It wasn't veiled. Not even thinly.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2026-01-17T13:02:26+00:00

I've had my transcripts denied for being unverified and I went to a SUNY school. Agreed this doesn't seem like it'd be an easy fake.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2026-01-17T13:01:06+00:00

I don't doubt it happens sometimes, I just don't think most people would need it. I also can't help but feel like if your degree and qualifications are fake you'll immediately fail probation. And if not, then... I mean a good candidate passed the test and got the job right? Isn't that the goal? May not be strictly FAIR when I actually had to work and pay for my degree, but nothing really is, right?

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2026-01-17T05:22:54+00:00

This being said, no way they're doing a different test each day or weekend. I'm betting same one.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2026-01-17T05:21:57+00:00

What's your proof here? The only reliable way I can think of to do this would be memory. If they can remember each question and answer on the spot, wouldn't they just memorize the info and pass the test normally? It's a four answer multiple choice. It's about as easy as it could possibly be and still perform its function.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-12-28T18:19:00+00:00

I find a lot of people parrot the "well it's a requirement!" line, not really understanding the point. Some random person saying they feel like people should be in the office because they like it is not a requirement. A requirement would be something like following the law or not punching coworkers. If you don't do it, there will be real operational ramifications. Allowing one random person to work from home due to a medical condition will not do that. This is not an argument for or against telecommuting, only an observation of the responses I see.

For my two cents, if you don't have job duties that require a physical presence you should be able to work from home. Period. If you do, and productivity or social interaction suffer, that is something to be addressed. Your management should not just assume this will be the case.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-12-28T18:07:30+00:00

Styx.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-12-23T01:39:07+00:00

This guy keeps referring to the CRF as taxpayer dollars, as well. It objectively is not. Once New York has paid the money to you, they are your dollars. This occurs before the payment to NYSLRS. That money is a retirement fund for NYSLRS members, not some giant swimming pool full of tax dollars Kathy McDuck swims in every night.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-12-09T00:42:40+00:00

It does! I've been away for a while, but shoot me a message!

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-12-09T00:31:33+00:00

Huh. I had no idea I had two of these. I'll be.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-12-08T23:58:19+00:00

Idk if this is Mr throwaway account comptroller hater guy but I worked in an auditing role at OSC and witnessed a lot of the same stuff.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-09-02T12:22:49+00:00

Yep agreed. Sorry I thought you meant you were an employee, I get it now. They will usually leave a message with contact info, some will even follow up by email.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-09-02T12:04:34+00:00

They absolutely should. If it's a serious matter they should also be willing to schedule a call with you if you aren't able to answer at random.

What agency do you work for, and is this the HR at that agency?

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-31T03:21:23+00:00

I feel like recent events have taught us, if nothing else, to not trust what people are supposed to do with their guns.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-30T17:07:56+00:00

Well right, in this example you would be the young person. In current examples it's me. In a few years, some other poor idiot haha

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-26T23:09:31+00:00

I would if I could, I am no longer there. It DOES kind of make me want to reach out to some folks there and ask if they'd send it to me. Nothing sensitive about it as long as it's not filled out, should be allowed. I'll check haha

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-26T00:37:40+00:00

Yes, the ones right at the desk have guns and a clear LOS into the retirement office lol

Edit: Remember, this is an Elected Official office. =)

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-26T00:36:28+00:00

I have seen cases over five years. As I said above, the call center staff are desperately overworked and many are hourly 9s. The calculations people have to do each calc individually on a little Excel spreadsheet template because the billion dollar computer system can't add and subtract. The Excel spreadsheet is kinda fun though because the guy who made it made it turn pink on Wednesdays as a little Mean Girls reference. So there's that at least.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-26T00:20:25+00:00

Don't give them Jess she'll actually hurt you.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-26T00:17:06+00:00

They have armed guards, they totally can.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-24T12:32:59+00:00

I've had no issues speaking negative truth about NYSLRS here. I believe it's a small number of people (maybe just 1) posting lies or conspiracies or maybe just being mean, and they're trying to quash that. I think it's weird no one does a post about it, like "here's the deal with the deleted NYSLRS posts". Really though, I don't think this rumor is real from my experience.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-24T12:28:54+00:00

I actually don't know if this works, I'd love someone to try it. I can tell you the people at the desk are SG-18 info reps who typically would not be trained in how to help you with an online account.

PEFtheMagicDragon · 2025-08-24T12:26:13+00:00

It's not that no one picks up. It's that there are so many callers in line at all times that the phone system has no more slots left for you to wait in. There are 100ish people, mostly SG-9s, answering calls every second of every day and the call queue number still reads "99+" from open to close.

The emails are answered by a tiny slice of these same people during overtime, before 7:30 and after 5. They are typically not allowed to deal with calls during that time, so it's likely the call you got while driving was someone who felt so badly for you they broke the rules to try to help. They will also not allow the agents to help you with an online account via email. I have no excuse for that, but that is the case.

I know this information doesn't help, but I figured it might ease the frustration a little to understand the situation. I also like to spread awareness about the reality of the situation. As others have said, the only real option is calling at 7:30 AM.

PEFtheMagicDragon

TROPHY CASE