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38 18 NYCRR 358-2.12 Fair hearing. Fair hearing means a formal procedure provided by OAH upon a request made for an applicant or recipient to determine whether an action taken or failure to act by a social services agency was correct. 18 NYCRR 358-2.13 Hearing officer. Hearing officer means an attorney assigned by OAH to preside at hearings. 18 NYCRR 358-2.14 Mass change in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Mass change in SNAP means changes initiated by the Federal government or a social services agency which affect all SNAP households or a significant portion of all SNAP households. Mass changes may include, but are not limited to, adjustments to income eligibility standards, shelter and dependent care deductions; the thrifty food plan and the standard deduction; annual and seasonal adjustments to social security, supplemental security income and other Federal benefits. 18 NYCRR 358-2.15 Notice of action. Notice of action means a notice from a social services agency advising an applicant, recipient or resident of a tier II facility of any action the agency intends to take or has taken on any assistance or benefits except SNAP benefits, including the acceptance, denial, discontinuance, suspension, or reduction of public assistance, medical assistance or services, an increase in public assistance or medical assistance, a change in the amount of one of the items used in the calculation of a public assistance grant or medical assistance spenddown although there is no change in the amount of such public assistance grant or medical assistance spenddown, a change in the manner or method or form of payment of a public assistance grant, a determination that an applicant for or a recipient of public assistance is not exempt from work program requirements pursuant to 18 NYCRR section 385.2, a restriction of a medical assistance authorization, and a denial or acceptance of HEAP or a determination to discharge a resident of a tier II facility involuntarily after such resident requests and participates in a hearing held by the facility or the social services district in which the facility is located. 18 NYCRR 358-2.16 Parties to a fair hearing.