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Anonymous User wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about the BIA. There are 16 interviewees and 4 spots, but no news about checking references or anything.

OCIJ is used to this process every year. I believe this is the first year that the BIA and the other non-OCIJ-EOIR offices are getting honors attorneys (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). I just think the BIA, OLAP, OCACHO, and OLAP aren't as organized as OCIJ because they aren't accustomed to this process. This isn't surprising to me at all.

I also wonder how they handled candidates who applied to more than one office, say BIA and OCIJ. If both offices wanted a candidate how did they resolve the issue... hmm...

Anonymous User wrote:To the three (?) people who have OCIJ offers, were your references checked (to your knowledge)?

Yes- my references were contacted two weeks ago.

I would venture to say that if your references haven't been called yet, you are probably an alternate at this point.

Anonymous User wrote:I would venture to say that if your references haven't been called yet, you are probably an alternate at this point.

I hope you're referring to OCIJ, otherwise that's quite the leap. I disagree.

Does anyone know if their non-reference contacts have been contacted? The supervisors at previous jobs that you indicated could be contacted in the application?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about the BIA. There are 16 interviewees and 4 spots, but no news about checking references or anything.

OCIJ is used to this process every year. I believe this is the first year that the BIA and the other non-OCIJ-EOIR offices are getting honors attorneys (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). I just think the BIA, OLAP, OCACHO, and OLAP aren't as organized as OCIJ because they aren't accustomed to this process. This isn't surprising to me at all.

I also wonder how they handled candidates who applied to more than one office, say BIA and OCIJ. If both offices wanted a candidate how did they resolve the issue... hmm...

OCAHO always has one spot, OGC got their first honors attorney this year (so they participated in this process last year), and the BIA used to participate. I'm not sure about OLAP.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I would venture to say that if your references haven't been called yet, you are probably an alternate at this point.

I hope you're referring to OCIJ, otherwise that's quite the leap. I disagree.

My apologies, I was referring to OCIJ.

Has anyone received reimbursement for their traveling expenses? I had to stay overnight at my interview location, though I stayed with a friend - I am still waiting to hear back about per diem and parking expenses.

Anonymous User wrote:Another OCIJ offer received.

For those getting ocij offers, please share region and where on your preference list your offer was located.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about the BIA. There are 16 interviewees and 4 spots, but no news about checking references or anything.

OCIJ is used to this process every year. I believe this is the first year that the BIA and the other non-OCIJ-EOIR offices are getting honors attorneys (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). I just think the BIA, OLAP, OCACHO, and OLAP aren't as organized as OCIJ because they aren't accustomed to this process. This isn't surprising to me at all.

I also wonder how they handled candidates who applied to more than one office, say BIA and OCIJ. If both offices wanted a candidate how did they resolve the issue... hmm...

OGC has been hiring honors attorneys for at least the last couple of years - the person who interviewed me had been an honors attorney there, they talked about the current honors attorney, and I think referenced at least one more former honors person (who was now working there permanently). (Don't know about the other offices.)

I don't know how the multiple component thing works - my OGC interviewers actually brought that up (one asked the other how that works and they didn't know - I also interviewed with OCIJ, which they knew). It would seem weird to me that they could decide for you which component - but who knows? (I've heard of people having multiple SLIP offers but I don't know if I've ever heard of anyone getting multiple HP offers?)

Anonymous User wrote:Has anyone received reimbursement for their traveling expenses? I had to stay overnight at my interview location, though I stayed with a friend - I am still waiting to hear back about per diem and parking expenses.

I'm still waiting, too. Submitted the form 3 weeks ago.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Has anyone received reimbursement for their traveling expenses? I had to stay overnight at my interview location, though I stayed with a friend - I am still waiting to hear back about per diem and parking expenses.

I'm still waiting, too. Submitted the form 3 weeks ago.

Ditto. (Well, I can't remember exactly when I submitted the form, but it was a while ago.)

Has anyone else received ENRD offers?
If so, when were your references contacted and when did your status changed to Finalist on Avue, if at all?

Thanks!

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Has anyone received reimbursement for their traveling expenses? I had to stay overnight at my interview location, though I stayed with a friend - I am still waiting to hear back about per diem and parking expenses.

I'm still waiting, too. Submitted the form 3 weeks ago.

Ditto. (Well, I can't remember exactly when I submitted the form, but it was a while ago.)

I went through the process last year and remember it taking a LONG time to get reimbursement. I'm pretty sure it was after the new year.

anon5 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Has anyone received reimbursement for their traveling expenses? I had to stay overnight at my interview location, though I stayed with a friend - I am still waiting to hear back about per diem and parking expenses.

I'm still waiting, too. Submitted the form 3 weeks ago.

Ditto. (Well, I can't remember exactly when I submitted the form, but it was a while ago.)

I went through the process last year and remember it taking a LONG time to get reimbursement. I'm pretty sure it was after the new year.

Somehow this does NOT shock me.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about the BIA. There are 16 interviewees and 4 spots, but no news about checking references or anything.

OCIJ is used to this process every year. I believe this is the first year that the BIA and the other non-OCIJ-EOIR offices are getting honors attorneys (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). I just think the BIA, OLAP, OCACHO, and OLAP aren't as organized as OCIJ because they aren't accustomed to this process. This isn't surprising to me at all.

I also wonder how they handled candidates who applied to more than one office, say BIA and OCIJ. If both offices wanted a candidate how did they resolve the issue... hmm...

OGC has been hiring honors attorneys for at least the last couple of years - the person who interviewed me had been an honors attorney there, they talked about the current honors attorney, and I think referenced at least one more former honors person (who was now working there permanently). (Don't know about the other offices.)

I don't know how the multiple component thing works - my OGC interviewers actually brought that up (one asked the other how that works and they didn't know - I also interviewed with OCIJ, which they knew). It would seem weird to me that they could decide for you which component - but who knows? (I've heard of people having multiple SLIP offers but I don't know if I've ever heard of anyone getting multiple HP offers?)

Yeah, I know this is definitely not OGC's first year, but last year, I heard they didn't make the offer until post-January... anyone heard from OGC or had their references checked?

Anonymous User wrote:Yeah, I know this is definitely not OGC's first year, but last year, I heard they didn't make the offer until post-January... anyone heard from OGC or had their references checked?

As of this morning, they hadn't checked my references (that I know of, but I think I would have heard).

So do we think that at this point OCIJ Finalists who haven't gotten calls should assume that they are alternates? Who makes the calls - Falls Church or the offices that did the interviews?

Anonymous User wrote:So do we think that at this point OCIJ Finalists who haven't gotten calls should assume that they are alternates? Who makes the calls - Falls Church or the offices that did the interviews?

Keep in mind they have to hear back from references, which could take time. And Falls Church...

Any other Finalists for OCIJ had their references contacted, but not yet received an offer?

Anonymous User wrote:Any other Finalists for OCIJ had their references contacted, but not yet received an offer?

Me. I've only heard from one of my references, but I assume if they contacted him they contacted all.

Anonymous User wrote:Any other Finalists for OCIJ had their references contacted, but not yet received an offer?

Me too. Kind-of wishing I never found out that DOJ contacted all three of my references before Thanksgiving (until today, my hopes were up).

Anyone have any info or conspiracy theories on whether the first OCIJ offers have all been made? Are references often checked for applicants who don't get offers?

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Any other Finalists for OCIJ had their references contacted, but not yet received an offer?

Me too. Kind-of wishing I never found out that DOJ contacted all three of my references before Thanksgiving (until today, my hopes were up).

Anyone have any info or conspiracy theories on whether the first OCIJ offers have all been made? Are references often checked for applicants who don't get offers?

I thought all the finalists had their references checked, but I don't actually know. I've decided not to give up hope completely on being a first-round offer until after the close of business on Friday. But I guess there's always some chance that we'll get called as alternates...

I called EOIR today to check my status because I received an offer from another agency and have a short time to reply. My references have not been called and I am an OCIJ and BIA Finalist. I asked whether I am an alternate, in which case I could accept my other offer without hesitation. I was told that the fact that my references have not been called does not mean that I will not receive a first-round offer. I was also told to wait until tomorrow to follow-up and that they could not confirm my status today. I also know one person who received a BIA offer late in the day today.

I too am an OCIJ finalist whose references have been contacted but haven't received a call yet.