Iowa Code 96.6 – Filing — determination — appeal
Claims for benefits shall be made in accordance with such regulations as the department may prescribe.
Terms Used In Iowa Code 96.6
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Appeal board: means the employment appeal board created under section 10A. See Iowa Code 96.1A
- Benefits: means the money payments payable to an individual, as provided in this chapter, with respect to the individual's unemployment. See Iowa Code 96.1A
- Department: means the department of workforce development created in section 84A. See Iowa Code 96.1A
- Director: means the director of the department of workforce development created in section 84A. See Iowa Code 96.1A
- Employer: means :a. See Iowa Code 96.1A
- employment: means service, including service in interstate commerce, performed for wages or under any contract of hire, written or oral, expressed or implied. See Iowa Code 96.1A
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- State: includes , in addition to the states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. See Iowa Code 96.1A
- United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Week: means such period or periods of seven consecutive calendar days ending at midnight, or as the department may by regulations prescribe. See Iowa Code 96.1A
- weekly benefit amount: means the amount of benefits the individual would be entitled to receive for one week of total unemployment. See Iowa Code 96.1A
2.Initial determination.A representative designated by the director shall promptly notify all interested parties to the claim of its filing, and the parties have ten days from the date of issuance of the notice of the filing of the claim to protest payment of benefits to the claimant. All interested parties shall select a format as specified by the department to receive such notifications. The representative shall promptly examine the claim and any protest, take the initiative to ascertain relevant information concerning the claim, and, on the basis of the facts found by the representative, shall determine whether or not the claim is valid, the week with respect to which benefits shall commence, the weekly benefit amount payable and its maximum duration, and whether any disqualification shall be imposed. The claimant has the burden of proving that the claimant meets the basic eligibility conditions of section 96.4. The employer has the burden of proving that the claimant is disqualified for benefits pursuant to section 96.5, except as provided by this subsection. The claimant has the initial burden to produce evidence showing that the claimant is not disqualified for benefits in cases involving section 96.5, subsections 10 and 11, and has the burden of proving that a voluntary quit pursuant to section 96.5, subsection 1, was for good cause attributable to the employer and that the claimant is not disqualified for benefits in cases involving section 96.5, subsection 1, paragraphs “a” through “h”. Unless the claimant or other interested party, after notification or within ten calendar days after notification was issued, files an appeal from the decision, the decision is final and benefits shall be paid or denied in accordance with the decision. If an administrative law judge affirms a decision of the representative, or the appeal board affirms a decision of the administrative law judge allowing benefits, the benefits shall be paid regardless of any appeal which is thereafter taken, but if the decision is finally reversed, no employer’s account shall be charged with benefits so paid and this relief from charges shall apply to both contributory and reimbursable employers, notwithstanding section 96.8, subsection 5.
3.Appeals.a. Unless the appeal is withdrawn, an administrative law judge, after affording the parties reasonable opportunity for fair hearing, shall affirm or modify the findings of fact and decision of the representative. The hearing shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of chapter 17A relating to hearings for contested cases. Before the hearing is scheduled, the parties shall be afforded the opportunity to choose either a telephone hearing or an in-person hearing. A request for an in-person hearing shall be approved unless the in-person hearing would be impractical because of the distance between the parties to the hearing. The notice for a telephone or in-person hearing shall be sent to all the parties at least ten calendar days before the hearing date. Reasonable requests for the postponement of a hearing shall be granted. The parties shall be duly notified of the administrative law judge’s decision, together with the administrative law judge’s reasons for the decision, which is the final decision of the department, unless within fifteen days after the date of notification or mailing of the decision, further appeal is initiated pursuant to this section.b. Appeals from the initial determination shall be heard by an administrative law judge employed by the department. An administrative law judge’s decision may be appealed by any party to the employment appeal board created in section 10A.601 or directly to the district court.4.Effect of determination.A finding of fact or law, judgment, conclusion, or final order made pursuant to this section by an employee or representative of the department, administrative law judge, or the employment appeal board, is binding only upon the parties to proceedings brought under this chapter, and is not binding upon any other proceedings or action involving the same facts brought by the same or related parties before the division of labor services, division of workers’ compensation, other state agency, arbitrator, court, or judge of this state or the United States.