When we receive your written appeal request, we will schedule your hearing. This usually takes between 4 to 6 weeks. Most of the hearings are held on a telephone conference call; however, for compelling reasons a hearing can be done in-person. The most common reason for holding an in-person hearing is when a party or witness has a hearing impairment and cannot participate effectively over the telephone.

About 5 to 10 days before the date of your hearing, you will receive an information packet from us about your hearing. This packet will also be mailed to the individual claimant. The first two pages of the packet will be your Notice of Hearing and it will contain the following information:

• Date mailed
• Your business’ name and account number
• The Claimant’s name and social security number
• Addresses where we mailed the packet
• The date and time of your hearing
• If your hearing will be held by telephone or in-person
• The telephone number you will need to call for a telephone hearing
• The physical address where you will need to report for an in-person hearing.
• The name, address, phone number and fax number of the hearing officer that will be hearing your appeal
• Information on “What You Must Do.”
• Instructions on how to participate in the hearing and how to submit documentation you want presented at the hearing
• Information on the appeal number, date, etc.
• The issues that will be addressed at your hearing.

The rest of the hearing packet contains:

• Issues in your hearing. This is a list of topics that will be discussed during your hearing. They are the most important points of the hearing.
• Information to those people needing special accommodations with phones and fax machines
• Information about certain aspects of the hearing itself
• Sections of the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act that could be relevant to your hearing
• Any protests to the claim
• Any information we received in response to the claim
• Any fact-finding statements we took while investigating the issue(s) on appeal
• And the appeal.

This information will help you prepare your case for the hearing. Please read all of the information carefully. While it seems like a lot of information, you cannot be well prepared for your hearing without understanding what is contained in the Notice of Hearing. Understanding the issues and preparing for the hearing by having all of your paperwork, witnesses and evidence to support your side of the issues will increase your credibility and increase the hearing officer's ability to make a just determination of the facts.