Expedited State Hearing Requests

Appeals requests involving the issues listed are scheduled following the expedited hearing process:

• Expedited CalFresh (ES).
• CalWORKs Immediate Need (IN), including a failure to process application within 15 days after payment and denial or failure to issued Expedited Grant Funds.
• CalWORKs Homeless Assistance.
• Denial of supportive services to Welfare-to-Work which would result in the loss of employment or inability to participate or make satisfactory process in a Self-Initiated Program (SIP) or approved educational training or activity.
• Other issues or urgency that State Hearings Division (SHD) deems necessary.

Processing Expedited Hearing Request

SHD will review all requests received that fall under the expedited hearing criteria. The Presiding Judge (PJ) reviews the requests and determines if they require to be scheduled as an expedited hearing. The PJ may contact the claimant or the Appeals Officer (AO) to obtain more necessary information. If new information is received, the PJ will inform the County or the claimant of the new information.

For appeals requests that are approved for an expedited hearing, the PJ ensures the case is calendared on an expedited basis and gives both the claimant and the AO at least ten calendar days advance notice of the date, time and modality in which the hearing will be held. Notice to the claimant is transmitted in writing or through Appeals Case Management System (ACMS) if they have an account set up. The AO will receive notice through ACMS.

For appeals denied for an expedited hearing the PJ will calendar the case for a regularly scheduled state hearing and notify the claimant in writing or through ACMS if they have an account set up. The AO will receive notice through ACMS.

Conducting The Expedited Hearing

Pre-hearing contact to attempt to resolve the appeal by the AO is required. If the appeal is unable to be resolved through pre-hearing contact then the AO must prepare for the hearing.

The Statement of Position (SOP) must be uploaded to ACMS and made available for the claimant to pick up at the county office at least two days before the scheduled hearing, or mailed to the claimant with sufficient time for the client to receive at least two days prior to the hearing. Pre-hearing contact must be made to accommodate in-person pick-up or mailing of the SOP.

Important: If the SOP is not available at the required time, the claimant has the right to request a postponement.

A decision will be issued five days after the recorded closure of the hearing.