Hearings generally occur within 30 days of the date you file your appeal. You will receive a Notice of Hearing at least 10 days before the date of your hearing that will have important instructions for you.

You have the right to be represented by an attorney at the hearing, but it is not required.

You must do these things prior to your hearing: (PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLAIMANTS AND EMPLOYERS)

• For employers, return the second page of the Notice of Hearing (also known as the “Acknowledgment Sheet”) indicating that you wish to participate in the hearing, and provide a telephone contact number.
• For claimants, at the scheduled date and time of your hearing, the judge will call you at the telephone number listed on the Acknowledgment sheet.  If this telephone number is not correct, please return the Acknowledgment Sheet with your updated telephone number at least 48 hours prior to the hearing.

You can deliver the Acknowledgment Sheet by mail, fax or in person, and it must be received at least 48 hours before the hearing.

NOTE: If you are an employer or the telephone number listed on the claimant’s Acknowledgment Sheet is incorrect, it is critical that you return this Acknowledgment Sheet. Most hearings are scheduled as telephone hearings where the Administrative Law Judge calls both parties. The telephone number on your initial notice of appeal is not sufficient to guarantee that you will be called. You may call the judge’s clerk 48 hours before the hearing to confirm your telephone number. If you leave a message, include your telephone number with area code, the judge’s name, your name, and case number.

The Administrative Law Judge will follow general rules of trial procedure and evidence. However, the claimant and employer are not required to have an attorney. Because of this, the Administrative Law Judge will assist both parties in understanding the process and procedure. The Administrative Law Judge will also answer any questions you have about the process or procedures before or during the hearing.

If you filed the appeal, you must attend the hearing or your appeal will be dismissed.

If your case is being heard by telephone, this means that you must be available for the telephone call when the Administrative Law Judge tries to contact you. The Administrative Law Judge will make at least one attempt to reach you. Here are helpful tips for the telephone hearing:

• Administrative Law Judge calls generally show on caller ID as “Blocked” or “Number Unavailable.”
• If you have Privacy Manager or some other call screening system, please be sure that it is disabled prior to the hearing.
• Ensure that your telephone is sufficiently charged, has an audible ringer, and is otherwise operational prior to the time of the hearing.
• Although the Appeals Division makes every effort to be timely in starting hearings, it is possible that the Administrative Law Judge has been delayed by a prior hearing.

All hearings are digitally recorded. The Administrative Law Judge will review all of the evidence presented at the hearing and will issue a decision. The decision will be sent to each party, generally within ten (10) business days of the date of the hearing.

The Administrative Law Judge’s decision will become final unless it is appealed to the Review Board within 15 calendar days from the date the decision was issued.

If you wish to appeal, you or your legal representative must do all of the following:

1. Include a copy of the judge’s decision or the case number for the decision you are appealing. You can find your Appeal Decision Notice for Benefits in the Correspondence History section of your Uplink account.
2. Write that you want to appeal and explain why you disagree with the Administrative Law Judge's decision.
3. Sign your name and include if you are the claimant (the person who filed for unemployment), the employer, or representative.
4. Include your current mailing address and phone number where you can be reached on everything you send. If you are the claimant, also include the last four digits of your Social Security number.
5. If you have additional documents or information that were not available for your hearing with the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), include them with your appeal. You must explain why these documents or information were not given to the ALJ.
   

   The Review Board will review all documents and information submitted with your appeal. The additional documents and information that you include with your appeal are not automatically considered evidence. For additional documents or information to be accepted as evidence:

   1. You must have a good reason why the additional documents or information were not given to the ALJ, and
   2. The additional documents or information must help answer an important question in the case.
   
   
6. Send your appeal to the Review Board by either:
   • Mail:
     • ATTN: Review Board
     • 10 North Senate Ave.
     • SE018
     • Indianapolis, IN 46204
   • Fax: (317) 233-3348.
   • In Person: DWD Lobby at 10 N. Senate Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46204.

Tip: Keep proof of when you sent your appeal, like a fax confirmation sheet or a receipt.