WAC 182-526-0255 Notice of hearing or notice of prehearing conference.

Effective March 16, 2017

A notice of hearing or a notice of prehearing conference is a written notice issued by the office of administrative hearings (OAH) that must include the: Names of all parties to whom the notice is sent and, if known, the names and addresses of their representatives; Name, mailing address, and telephone number of the administrative law judge (ALJ), if known; Date, time, place, and nature of the hearing or prehearing conference; Legal authority and jurisdiction for the hearing; and Date of the hearing request. A notice of hearing or prehearing conference must include a statement that the appellant's failure to attend the prehearing conference or hearing may result in the loss of the right to a hearing. If the appellant fails to appear, the ALJ may enter an order of default.

Limited-English proficiency. The notice must include a statement that, if the appellant needs a qualified interpreter because they or any of their witnesses are people with limited-English proficiency, OAH will provide an interpreter at no cost to that party.

The notice must state whether the hearing or prehearing conference is to be held by telephone or in person, and how to request a change in the way it is held.

The notice of hearing or prehearing conference informs the appellant: How to indicate any special needs for the appellant or their witnesses, including the need for an interpreter in a primary language or for sensory impairments; How to contact OAH if a party has a safety concern; and That the appellant may request a qualified interpreter if the appellant or any of the appellant's witnesses are people with limited-English proficiency, and that OAH provides such interpreters at no cost to the appellant.

This is a reprint of the official rule as published by the Office of the Code Reviser . If there are previous versions of this rule, they can be found using the Legislative Search page .