At your appeals hearing, you and your witnesses will have the chance to testify, give evidence, and ask questions about testimony or evidence given by the other party. Review this page for tips on how to prepare.

How to Prepare for an Appeals Hearing

Cómo preparse para una audiencia de apelación

Steps to prepare for an appeals hearing:

  1. Read the hearing notice carefully. The notice will tell you:
    • Date, time and format of your hearing.
    • Contact information for your assigned appeals referee.
    • The issues to be decided.
  2. Read all documents that came with the hearing notice. These will show what has been said about the case. This will help you decide which witnesses should testify in the hearing.
  3. Gather your evidence. Collect all documents, recordings and other evidence that support your case.
  4. Provide copies of your evidence.
    1. For hearings by phone, you must send copies of your evidence to the appeals referee and to each party before the hearing date.
    2. For in-person hearings, make enough copies to give to each party and the appeals referee. If you do not provide copies to the other party and the appeals referee, the appeals referee may not use that evidence when making a decision in the case.
  5. Choose your witnesses and confirm their availability. Make sure they will be available for the hearing.
  6. For telephone hearings, provide your witnesses' names and phone numbers. You can do this by contacting the appeals referee, or by completing and returning the Telephone Hearing Questionnaire that came with your hearing notice. See 04 N.C. Admin. Code 24C .0209.

What should I present at my hearing?

  • Eyewitness and First-hand Testimony or Recordings: Eyewitness and first-hand testimony are always the best evidence. First-hand testimony includes witnesses who personally saw, heard, or were involved in a situation. If there is a recording of the alleged conduct, the recording is the best evidence.
  • Related Documents: If someone signed documents or submitted something in writing that is important to your case, you can submit those as evidence. If you do so, you must provide a copy of the documents to the appeals referee and the other party.

What if a witness refuses to participate voluntarily in the hearing, or supply documents that I have asked for?

You should contact the appeals referee listed in your hearing notice and request that a subpoena be issued for the witness and/or other evidence. Learn more about subpoena requests in the Unemployment Benefits Hearings FAQs.

Are drug or alcohol test appeals cases different?

Yes. There must be evidence to prove or disprove any test and its results. Evidence should also include work rules and/or policies. Learn more about requirements for drug and alcohol test cases in the Unemployment Benefits Hearings FAQs.

After the Hearing: What if I disagree with the appeals referee’s decision?

In most cases, you can appeal the decision with the Board of Review. The decision notice will include instructions and a deadline for filing a second appeal.

Have Questions?

Check the Unemployment Benefits Hearings FAQs page for more detailed information about appeals hearings.

You can also check the status of your appeal online:

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