Expedited State Hearing Requests

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

• Expedited CalFresh
• 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 SIP or approved educational training or activity
• Other issues or urgency that SHD deems necessary.

Processing The Expedited Hearing Request

SHD will review all request received that fall under the expedited hearing criteria. The Presiding Judge (PJ) reviews the request and determines if it requires to be scheduled as an expedited hearing. The PJ may call the claimant or the Appeals Officer (AO) to obtain more necessary information about the necessity. If new information is received, the PJ will inform the County or the claimant of the new information no later than the beginning of the hearing.

For appeal requests that are approved for an expedited hearing the PJ ensures the case is calendared on an expedited bases 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 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.

Related Topics

State Hearing Filing Procedures