Telephone Hearings

Your appeal hearing will probably be scheduled to take place by telephone. The "Notice of Unemployment Appeal Telephonic Hearing," which accompanies this brochure in the mail, gives the date and time of the telephone hearing and explains the procedure for participation in the hearing. (Upon receiving the Notice of Hearing, the parties are requested to call the Appeals Unit as soon as possible and supply a telephone number where they can be contacted for the hearing.)

Telephone hearings allow the parties to participate without the expense and time of traveling to a central hearing site. In a telephone hearing, the testimony of witnesses is taken under oath, by telephone, and is recorded. The ALJ conducts the hearing in the same manner as an in-person hearing, using the same question and answer format. Parties to the hearing will have the same opportunity to present their case and question the witnesses involved.

Before the hearing starts, you should make sure your telephone is in working order, keep the line clear, and be ready to receive the call from the ALJ. If you previously left your telephone number for the ALJ and do not hear from the ALJ at the time of the hearing, please call the Appeals Unit within ten minutes after the time the hearing was scheduled to start: (801) 526-9300.

Be sure to follow this instruction even if you believe the Department should have your telephone number. Tardiness is treated as a failure to participate. Follow the instructions on your Notice of Hearing.

You should plan to appear by telephone in a location free from background noise so you will be clearly heard. If the ALJ and/or other party cannot hear you or your witness clearly, the ALJ has the right to stop the hearing and schedule it for another time.

Use of cellular telephones and cordless telephones is discouraged. ALJs do not conduct hearings with parties or witnesses who are operating a motor vehicle. Pay telephones should not be used unless absolutely necessary. If you must use a pay telephone, be sure it is one that will accept incoming calls and is free of traffic and other background noises. If using a speaker telephone, make sure the area is free of all background noise and make arrangements so that each of the witnesses testifying is in close proximity to the telephone when speaking.

If you have witnesses testify on your behalf, have them at the same location whenever possible in order to reduce the number of telephones connected to the hearing telephone conference call.

If you do not have access to a telephone, you must contact the Appeals Unit immediately and make arrangements for access to a telephone. Arrangements can be made to provide telephone access at a Workforce Services office near you if requested well in advance of the hearing.