Section 30. Commission review

A. The claimant, his liable employer, or any subsequent employing unit with a direct interest in an issue may appeal from an adverse appeals examiner's decision as provided in § 60.2-620 of the Code of Virginia.

1. Appeals should be filed with the commission's Administrative Law Division in one of the following ways:

a. In person at any agency service location, including field offices, regional adjudication centers, one-stop centers, or the commission's administrative office in Richmond, Virginia;

b. By mail to the Administrative Law Division at the address specified on the appeals examiner's decision;

c. By facsimile transmission to the Administrative Law Division at the facsimile number specified on the appeals examiner's determination; or

d. By the Internet to the site or address specified by the commission.

2. Appeals shall be presumed to be filed on the date of receipt by the commission. An appeal mailed to the commission shall be presumed to be filed on the date of postmark by the United States Postal Service. If no postmark appears on the envelope, the appeal shall be presumed to be filed on the date it was received by the commission.

3. At any time before the decision of the appeals examiner becomes final, the commission may on its own motion assume jurisdiction of any case pending before an appeals examiner and place such case on the appeal docket of the commission. The commission may consider and review the case and affirm, modify, or set aside and vacate the decision of the appeals examiner on the basis of the evidence previously submitted as shown by the record, or may direct the taking of additional evidence before the commission or the appeals examiner. Such additional evidence may not be taken unless notice of the time and place of the taking thereof has been mailed to all parties to the case at least 10 days before such time.

4. If the appeal to the commission is not filed within the statutory time limit set forth in § 60.2-620 of the Code of Virginia, the appellant shall set forth in writing the reasons for the late filing. If the reasons set forth, if proven, would show good cause for extending the appeal period, the commission shall schedule a hearing to take testimony on the issue of good cause for late filing. If the reasons set forth in the notice of appeal are insufficient to show good cause for late filing, or if no reasons are provided, the appeal shall be dismissed and the decision of the appeals examiner shall become the final decision of the commission.

B. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, all appeals to the commission shall be decided on the basis of a review of the evidence in the record. The commission, in its discretion, may direct the taking of additional evidence after giving written notice of such hearing to the parties, provided:

1. It is shown that the additional evidence is material and not merely cumulative, corroborative or collateral, could not have been presented at the prior hearing through the exercise of due diligence, and is likely to produce a different result at a new hearing; or

2. The record of the proceedings before the appeals examiner is insufficient to enable the commission to make proper, accurate, or complete findings of fact and conclusions of law.

A party wishing to present additional evidence or oral argument before the commission must file a written request within 14 days from the date of delivery or mailing of the Notice of Appeal. A request for a hearing shall be deemed to be filed on the date of receipt by the commission. A request for a hearing mailed to the Office of Commission Appeals shall be deemed to be filed on the date of postmark by the United States Postal Service. In such cases, the postmark date shall be conclusive as to the date of filing. The commission shall notify the parties of the time and place where additional evidence will be taken or oral argument will be heard. Such notice shall be mailed to the parties and their last known representatives at least 10 days in advance of the scheduled hearing. A request to present additional evidence will be granted only if the aforementioned guidelines are met. A timely request for oral argument will be granted unless, after a review of the record of the case, the commission determines that the record is either defective or insufficient, under which circumstances the case may be remanded to the appeals examiner for further proceedings.

3. Except as otherwise provided herein, commission level hearings shall be conducted in person at the administrative office for the agency's Administrative Law Division in Richmond, Virginia. Upon the consent of all interested parties, the commission may permit oral argument hearings to be conducted by telephone conference call. All parties shall have the right to submit a written argument in lieu of participating in an oral argument hearing. The commission may prescribe reasonable conditions for the submission of written arguments.

4. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the commission shall have the authority to schedule a hearing on its own motion whenever it believes doing so would serve the ends of justice.

C. Postponements, continuances and withdrawals of appeals before the commission shall be handled in the same manner as First Level Appeals, as set forth in this chapter, except that requests shall be made through the Office of Commission Appeals or through the special examiner assigned to hear the case. Only a special examiner shall have the authority to grant a postponement.

D. A transcript of the appeals examiner's hearing shall be provided to the parties whenever there has been a timely request for a hearing before the commission; provided, however, that no transcript need be provided if the purpose of the commission hearing is limited to receiving evidence to determine (i) whether the appeal was timely filed and, if not, whether good cause exists to extend the statutory appeal period or (ii) whether good cause exists to reopen the appeals examiner's hearing. A hearing before the commission for additional evidence shall be conducted under the same rules as outlined in subsection F of 16VAC5-80-20 for the conduct of First Level Appeals hearings, except that the party being granted the right to present additional evidence shall proceed first. If both parties are allowed to present additional evidence, the appellant shall proceed first. Oral argument shall commence with the appellant, allowing the appellee the chance to respond with oral argument and rebuttal, and close with the appellant in rebuttal.

E. The decision of the commission affirming, modifying, or setting aside any decision of an appeals examiner shall be in writing and shall be delivered or mailed to each party to the appeal as well as to their known representatives who have requested to be notified of the decision. The date of such notification shall be recorded on the commission's appeal docket.

F. Any party to an appeal before the commission who was unable to appear for the scheduled hearing may request a reopening of the matter. The request shall be in writing to the Office of Commission Appeals and shall set forth the basis upon which it is being made. If the commission is of the opinion that the reasons in the request show good cause to reopen, the request for reopening shall be granted. If the commission is of the opinion that the reasons given in the request do not show good cause, reopening shall be denied. In the discretion of the commission, a hearing on the issue of reopening may be held. Once a decision is rendered and has become final, the case may not thereafter be reopened for any reason.

G. If any party believes that the presiding special examiner exhibits bias, prejudice, a lack of impartiality, or has an interest in the outcome of the proceeding, a challenge to the special examiner's interest shall be promptly made after the discovery of the facts on which such challenge is based. A challenge to the interest of the special examiner may be made orally during a hearing or in writing before or after a hearing, but only prior to the date the commission's decision becomes final. If made before or at the hearing, all parties present shall be afforded an opportunity to address the merits of the challenge. The ruling may be made orally at the hearing or in writing after the hearing has been concluded. If the special examiner rules orally and denies the challenge, that ruling shall also be reduced to writing and included in the commission's final decision. If the special examiner grants the challenge, then the case shall be referred to the chief administrative law judge, or his designee, for reassignment. A challenge to the interest of the special examiner that is made after the hearing has been conducted shall be referred to the presiding special examiner for review and resolution; provided, however, that if the special examiner has already ruled on the challenge during the hearing or in a decision, the matter shall be referred to the chief administrative law judge for resolution. The commission may schedule a hearing to take evidence with respect to any challenge, or request the parties to submit affidavits, memoranda or briefs with respect to the challenge.

A written challenge made before or after the hearing has been conducted shall be submitted to the Chief Administrative Law Judge, Administrative Law Division, Office of Commission Appeals, at the commission's administrative office in Richmond, Virginia. A party's disagreement with a procedural or evidentiary ruling is not a basis, standing alone, for challenging the interest of a special examiner.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR300-01-8 § 3, eff. December 14, 1994; amended, Volume 18, Issue 26, eff. November 3, 2002.

Statutory Authority

§ 60.2-111 of the Code of Virginia.