14.10 Fair Hearings.

A. Each individual or household has the right to request a fair hearing to appeal a denial, reduction, or termination of benefits due to a determination of nonexempt status, or an agency determination of failure to comply with SNAP work requirements. B. The agency operating the relevant component or service of the E&T program must receive sufficient advance notice to either permit the attendance of a representative or ensure that a representative will be available for questioning over the phone during the hearing. A representative of the appropriate agency must be available through one of these means. C. A household must be allowed to examine its E&T program casefile at a reasonable time before the date of the fair hearing, except for confidential information (that may include test results) that the agency determines should be protected from release. Confidential information not released to a household may not be used by either party at the hearing. D. The results of the fair hearing are binding on the agency. E. If the participating individual’s benefits are continued pending a fair hearing, the disqualification period must begin the first of the month after the hearing decision is rendered. F. If the household elects not to receive benefits during pendency of the appeal and subsequently wins the hearing, the agency will restore any benefits the household would have been eligible to receive during the appeal period. Source: 7 CFR §273.7(f) Revised: March 2022