Documentation
Unemployment hearings rely on firsthand testimony about events or facts at issue. To prepare for an unemployment benefits hearing, having organized information at your fingertips is particularly valuable if your decisions are called into question by government agencies, or if you are called as a witness.
Well-documented events can substantiate the company’s position and help you remember what happened. The objective of keeping written documentation is to record warnings and incidences that justified a termination and to explain reasons or events that led to a voluntary quit.
Who Should Attend a Hearing
Employees with direct knowledge about what caused a job separation, especially events relating to the final incident, are necessary for a productive hearing. Often these hearings are done by phone, but whether over the phone or in person, we will have a representative there.
Although some states accept hearsay and notarized statements from non-appearing witnesses, indirect information is never sufficient to overcome direct firsthand testimony from the claimant or the claimant’s representatives. To defeat the hurdle of indirect testimony, be prepared to supply documentation and firsthand knowledge about the events that are being reviewed.
Preparing for the Hearing
Several days before the hearing, you will be contacted by your hearing representative. Your representative will contact any required witnesses to discuss the facts of the case and to review specific points that will be addressed at the hearing.
During the preliminary discussion with your representative be sure to raise relevant facts, produce written documentation, and identify individuals who have firsthand knowledge about the situation being examined.
If 501(c) Agencies Trust members have questions, please feel free to contact Doug Adams by email or at (800) 442-4867, ext 166.
