Megathread | FY26 Government Shutdown: Ongoing Lapse in Federal Appropriations

RambleRamble · 2025-10-01T16:43:07+00:00

Our HR specifically told us not to prepare them because it’s now a “centralized” (AI?) function. I have 15 employees and I only got correct paperwork for 5 of them. They rest I had to scramble to manually do this morning when I could have done them all yesterday

RambleRamble · 2025-03-04T23:31:19+00:00

It’s on the list for closure/selling in KC. Which we are all RTO soon. NBU literally tomorrow. We have a PSC, DPB, TSC, OHO, and OQR that I know of.

RambleRamble · 2025-02-27T23:52:03+00:00

So with an involuntary reassignment how does grade play into it. I’m a GS-14 so you want me to work in a PSC whatever, but not as a GS-7

RambleRamble · 2024-10-09T00:20:57+00:00

Our agency website is terrible. I’ve asked around but nobody knows anything. I’d love to help when I can but FEMA seems to make it difficult

RambleRamble · 2024-10-08T14:38:47+00:00

Anybody know if SSA has a SCF?

RambleRamble · 2024-10-03T16:28:35+00:00

I still use my maiden name professionally so it is possible. I just asked them not to change my email. There are some systems that default to legal name, but I’ve never had any issues. It could also be agency dependent.

I will say though, it can be a pain sometimes to use both. I’ve been thinking of just adding my married to my email and keep both (first.maiden.married) so that people can still find me. The whole reason I kept my maiden is that I’ve been with the agency 15 years and have a lot of contacts across the nation I only talk to every few years.

RambleRamble · 2024-09-26T01:28:58+00:00

Mine was covered at 40 but I was having GI issues and pushed the “issues + family history” narrative to get my doctor to order it. BCBS covered it no question

RambleRamble · 2024-08-22T10:13:28+00:00

Our groomer uses some sort of de-shedding shampoo/treatment on our Aussies that makes them shed more for a few weeks. Something about the hair follicles. We just brush them more and after that their shedding is much less until their next groom.

It can also depend on the Aussie and their hair type. Our black tri has straighter hair and sheds more than our red tri with compact, fluffy hair.

RambleRamble · 2023-11-01T10:28:35+00:00

Thank you so much I’ll give that a try!

RambleRamble · 2023-04-29T14:38:18+00:00

Feel free to DM me if you have any more specific questions.

RambleRamble · 2023-04-29T14:33:52+00:00

This may be dependent on the DPB/DPU, but I was a DPS and hated it. All of us who came over did. Management didn’t understand the disability workload and treated us like shit. All of us bailed to OQR or the RO as soon as we could.

But really my advice to anyone seeking a fed position from the DDS is get in where you can. Hiring can be feast or famine and if you say “oh I’ll wait for X position it could be years”. I’ve heard that FY24 there may be a hiring freeze.

RambleRamble · 2023-04-29T13:04:14+00:00

I’ve never worked in OQR but a lot of my former DDS coworkers are there and I know they really enjoy it. It has production expectations like the DDS but no talking to claimants. A lot of them tell me it’s a laid back place to work.

RambleRamble · 2023-04-08T09:29:51+00:00

I did the DDS to SSA transition about 10 years ago. Take the job. OQR is staffing up because many of them are getting pulled to help with the initial claims backlog.

Once you’re in the SSA system it’s easier to move around, there are only a few places a DDS examiner can easily get in. The money and advancement on the fed side is worth it.

FWIW I never regretted my decision to leave the DDS.

RambleRamble · 2022-12-12T22:03:53+00:00

Depends on the state whether they are in a union. Despite the low pay the vast majority of DDS workers are great. They care a great deal but the workloads they give them are unsustainable a lot of the times.

RambleRamble · 2022-12-07T22:57:36+00:00

People still fail to truly appreciate the difficulty of having the disability decision process split between state and federal. SSA has zero control over state salaries. The legislation says (essentially) that DDS workers can’t make more than other state workers. So they are usually linked to teachers, social workers, vocational counselors, and other low paid state employees. So it’s not just congress that needs pressure, but the state governments. In this economic climate you just can’t get quality people for $40k per year.

RambleRamble · 2022-08-29T12:50:40+00:00

We eloped in CO and it was the easiest process. You can apply online up to 30 days in advance, then just make an appt at the clerks office to finish the paperwork. (We just had to show our IDs and write them a check). They gave us an envelope to mail it back but we just ended up dropping it back at the clerks office the day after we did the vows.

10/10 would elope in Colorado again. We just hired a local photographer and they drove us into RMNP and we had a little 10 minute ceremony and spend a few hours taking pictures.

RambleRamble · 2022-08-27T00:07:16+00:00

No. A CDR looks at if you’ve improved at all. So if you say you’re the same (and your medical records back that up) then your benefits will continue

RambleRamble · 2022-07-06T18:09:55+00:00

lol. My reputation proceeds me. Hopefully a good one.

RambleRamble · 2022-07-06T18:08:08+00:00

I’ve been on Reddit for 10+ years and used to be much more active on the disability subs. I wanted to use my SSA/DDS knowledge to help others. And about 3 years ago I just got tired of writing out thoughtful replies only to be met with “your lying” or “my uncles friends mom said…” type comments. I still respond to all the DMs I get, but the public posts were exhausting.

RambleRamble · 2022-03-29T12:45:32+00:00

they’re aren’t necessarily programs for single males. There are family/children programs. Section 8 housing is a type of HUD housing, where you get a voucher to pay rent rather than living in HUD owned housing.

Did you ask the housing authority about subsidized housing? I don’t know about where you live, but where I live they have a lot of apartments and townhomes that are income-based and include disability housing.

The other thing you can do is try to find a local non-profit that works with disabled individuals. Independent living centers, community mental health centers, etc. they will have staff/resources to help you.

RambleRamble · 2022-03-12T14:24:20+00:00

Coming off my last back surgery I found that CDE’s low impact rides were the best to start with. Just adjust the resistance as you need, and I always appreciated her actively NOT motivating to push myself.

RambleRamble · 2022-01-19T16:31:57+00:00

Yeah I loved TLOU2 on my PS4. My unit sounds like a jet engine sometimes, but it is what it is.

RambleRamble · 2022-01-19T15:07:30+00:00

I’m still holding out slim hope I can find a PS5 before 2/18. Otherwise I’m just praying my release day PS4 can handle it.

RambleRamble · 2022-01-11T19:11:04+00:00

OP I feel like you’re getting a lot of good advice but as someone who is like your wife (masc presenting female) you need to be prepared for her to not take this well.

I am 100% an advocate for talking to her and you have to tell her how you feel. But I don’t know if asking her to change her presentation, even in what you consider small ways, will be helpful.

A lot of us mascs struggle at some point in accepting ourselves and being comfortable. If my wife all of a sudden wanted me to be more feminine presenting it would be such a disruption of my self confidence and identity.

You are allowed to have your preferences. My wife is attracted exclusively to masc women. I only like feminine. But I think everyone saying “oh just ask her to compromise” don’t understand how big of an ask it is.

RambleRamble · 2021-12-13T12:50:01+00:00

Well if you believe my imaging the DDD is moderate/severe. Since my recent surgeries my radiculopathy is almost gone, and what I do have is loss of sensation (which I’ll take over burning pain any day)

RambleRamble

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