General Assistance Appeals Overview

GA Policy [120]

Appeal to Hearing Officer

An applicant or recipient who is dissatisfied with any action or inaction of the Agency may request an appeal to a Hearing Officer.

An appeal may be initiated by filing a written or oral request for a hearing which specifically states the basis of the appeal. This request must be filed with the Appeals Unit, Social Services Agency.

To be valid, an appeal must be filed personally, by telephone, or by mail within the following time frames:

• In situations in which the appeal involves an action by the agency, the request for an appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date on which the notice of action was personally handed or mailed to the applicant or recipient; or
• In situations in which the appeal involves inaction by the Agency, the request for an appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date on which the Agency should have taken action.

A recipient who, without good cause, fails to comply with the work-related provisions, and for whom a sanction is being proposed, shall be automatically scheduled for an appeal hearing as specified in GA policy 121.

Note: The process is referred to as, “County Hearing”, “Appeal”, or “Fair Hearing.” The terms are interchangeable.

Definition

An appeal is a hearing that provides an applicant/recipient the opportunity to obtain a full, impartial review of any action or non-action taken by Social Services Agency. The hearing is conducted by an impartial Hearing Officer designated by the Director of Social Services Agency. The applicant/recipient may appear personally, through an authorized representative or through counsel, and may present any evidence relative to the disputed action.

Related Topics

Appeals General Information - Background