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MASS CHANGE CONTINUATION: When benefits are reduced or terminated due to a mass change, benefits continue at the prior amount only if the contested issue is that: 1. Eligibility or benefits were improperly computed; or 2. Federal law or regulation was misapplied or misinterpreted. DURATION OF CONTINUED BENEFITS: If all financial and nonfinancial requirements, other than the disputed issue, are met, benefits will continue until: 1. A hearing decision is rendered, OR 2. The claimant exhausts the available administrative remedies including appeal to the Board of Public Assistance, OR 3. The time allowed to appeal to the Board has passed and neither the claimant nor the Department has made such an appeal. HEARING REQUEST DENIAL OR DISMISSAL: A hearing may be denied or dismissed when: 1. The claimant (or representative acting on his/her behalf) withdraws hearing request in writing; 2. The claimant (or representative) fails to appear at the hearing without good cause; 3. The Department receives the hearing request more than 90 days after the adverse action notice was mailed; 4. Either federal or state law requires automatic benefit changes (unless the issue is incorrect benefit adjustments); or 5. The Hearing Officer does not have jurisdiction over the subject matter or the appeal procedure. NOTE: The above list is not all inclusive. SCHEDULING A HEARING: The Office of Fair Hearings notifies all parties to a hearing of the hearing date, time and place. POSTPONING A HEARING: Both the claimant and the Department are entitled to postpone a scheduled hearing. The hearing cannot be postponed more than 30 days unless both parties agree. MATERIAL PRESENTED: The Department can only introduce documents, records, papers and materials that the claimant/representative had the opportunity to review; any documents not previously available to the claimant/representative cannot be introduced at the hearing or be used to influence the hearing