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• Board of Public Assistance Appeal: The appeal request must be received within 15 days of date the decision notice is mailed. The hearing officer’s decision becomes final when an appeal request is not received within the 15-day period, unless good cause is shown. When good cause exists, the 15-day period is extended to no more than 45 days. • District Court/Judicial Review: Any party to an appeal (claimant/authorized representative, real party of interest, Department) may appeal the Board’s final decision to district court. The appeal must be filed within 30 days of the Board’s final decision. EXPEDITED HEARING: Households who file a hearing request, but who will leave the state before a decision is made under normal time frames may be granted an expedited hearing. CONTINUED BENEFITS: Unless the claimant specifically states they do not want continued benefits, benefits are automatically continued at the same benefit level (reinstated) until the hearing decision when the hearing request is filed between the date the adverse action notice is mailed and the adverse action effective date. EXCEPTION: When timely notice of adverse action is not sent, benefits are only continued (reinstated) when the claimant files the hearing request within 10 days of receiving the notice. The notice is assumed to be received 5 days after it is mailed, unless the claimant proves they didn’t receive the notice within 5 days. The claimant may claim good cause for not requesting continued benefits timely. When appropriate, benefits are continued through the end of the month in which a hearing decision in the department’s favor is received. If the claimant requests a Board appeal, benefits are continued through the month in which the Board decision is received. Unless court ordered, benefits are not continued during an appeal to district court. Benefits cannot be continued if the hearing officer determines the issue is one of State or Federal law or policy. The claimant’s responsibility to repay continued benefits if the hearing decision is in the Department’s favor must clearly and thoroughly be explained. REDUCING CONTINUED BENEFITS: Continued/reinstated benefits are not reduced or terminated prior to the official hearing decision unless: 1. Eligibility ends due to time-limits or failure to meet another eligibility requirement; 2. While the hearing decision is pending, a change affecting the claimant’s eligibility occurs and a subsequent hearing request is not filed; 3. The Hearing Officer makes a written preliminary determination at the hearing that the sole issue is one of State or Federal law or policy and there has been no improper benefit calculation, misapplication or misinterpretation of State or Federal law or policy; or 4. A mass change affecting the claimant’s eligibility or benefit level occurs while the hearing decision is pending.