Hardship Approved

[Armyvet1987]

Hello everyone, I was informed Monday that my hardship had been approved and that my claim is with a take home rater? They also said that the rater would be reviewing it tonight(6/8/2011), so what does that mean? Is this the person that will rate my claim or someone that will just review it and if they are going to rate/review it tonight how much longer will it take? Sorry for the questions I am just in a really bad spot right now and it doesn't look like it will get any better. If anymore information is needed please ask. thanks

[Guest]

If I can remember correctly a take home rater is a rating specialist that works for VA but they work at home. The take home rater will try to rate a few claims and process them as fast as they can. This does not mean that your claims will be granted, it just means that your claims should be rated within the next few days. Also keep in mind that a supervisor must still review the decision before you receive your notification letter.

[brokensoldier244th]

Take home rater? Wouldn't that violate, like, a whole bunch of federal laws pertaining to privacy, military records custody, and HIPPA/Medical information?

Im glad your case is being rated, but im an Information Security grad student, and that, based on some of what I have read, is a questionable procedure as it pertains to document security and government records custody policies.

CAS

[Armyvet1987]

From what they told me there are people that do ratings at the RO during the day and for extra time they take it home and do it? As far as the supervisor goes, if the case where rated tonight how long would it take the supervisor to do what ever to it, is that the final stage? thanks

[carlie]

From what they told me there are people that do ratings at the RO during the day and for extra time they take it home and do it?

As far as the supervisor goes, if the case where rated tonight how long would it take the supervisor to do what ever to it, is that the final stage? thanks

I believe that in the past a couple of those decision makers that took computers

home to keep doing work - lost the computers - that was a huge scare in the

veterans community.

Any answer would be nothing at all more than speculation.

Heck, the decision maker could request an examination or

additional information or verification of something already of record.

My guess is you will probably hear something within about 30-60 days,

but as any answer would be it's just a guess.

Keep hanging in there.

[Vync]

Speculation, yes, but there is also the possibility that the take home rater is using a secure VPN connection to access their RO workstation. If there is no need to access a physical file, this really would make sense as long as the connection is originating from a VARO issued laptop instead of their personal computer.

[brokensoldier244th]

I just posted this scenario in one of my class forums on Cyberlaw, Regulations and Compliance. Ill let you know if anything interesting comes out of the coffee table talk.

CAS