ODAR (Office of Disability Adjudication and Review) discontinued activities during the federal government shut down:
We have heard that, although the Boston ODAR Judges will report for duty and all hearings already scheduled will go forward, it will be with extreme limited staff. This will result in delays. You may be able to contact the ODAR HOD (Hearing Office Director) with any urgent issues.
Below is a list of the functions that the ODARs will NOT be performing during the shut down:
- Screening cases for On-the-Record decisions
- Scheduling hearings
- Hearings appeals
- Docketing and tracking new cases
- Drafting relevant notices for claimants
- Preparing electronic records for claimants and representatives
- Identifying missing evidence and developing the record
- Exhibiting case files for Administrative Law Judges
- Quality assurance review activities
- Adding new medical and vocational experts to blanket purchase agreements
- Decision-writing
- Processing bias complaints from claimants and representatives
- Responding to congressional inquiries regarding support for casework on constituent hearings and appeals
- Conducting all activities dependent on Operations support, including enrollment of appointed representatives for eFolder access
- Responding to FOIA requests and public inquiries
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