(c) An administrative hearing shall not be granted by the hearing officer when the claimant has abandoned the request. Abandonment occurs when the claimant or the authorized representative, without good cause, fails to appear at the administrative hearing scheduled for the claimant. (1) The hearing officer shall send the claimant a letter stating that the appeal is considered abandoned unless there was good cause for the claimant's failure to appear. The claimant shall be notified that the request shall
continue only if the claimant presents good cause for the failure to appear and contacts the agency within ten calendar days of the notice. If no reply is received within the ten calendar days, the administrative hearing request shall be considered abandoned. If the tenth day falls on a weekend or holiday, the tenth day shall then be the working day after the weekend or the holiday. (2) Good cause may be established on the basis of one of the following factors: (A) Death in the family; (B) Personal injury or illness which
reasonably prohibits the claimant from attending the administrative hearing; or (C) Sudden and unexpected emergencies.