Agency and advocates clash over pilot to send unemployment hearing notices electronically
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Summary
At a public hearing on HB 25 63, the Office of Administrative Hearings urged a three-year pilot to allow automatic electronic service in unemployment appeals; the Unemployment Law Project warned the change could harm vulnerable claimants and urged substantial revisions.
The committee heard competing views on House Bill 25 63, which would authorize the Office of Administrative Hearings to automatically serve notices and initial orders electronically in unemployment appeals during a pilot through July 30, 2029.
Mike Werk, government-relations staff for OAH, told the committee the change would modernize service, reduce costs for paper and postage and ― the agency believes ― improve customer service. Werk said OAH closes roughly 50,000–60,000 appeals a year across agencies and spends more than $350,000 a year on paper, printing and postage; the pilot would be narrowly focused on unemployment insurance where Employment Security Department (ESD) users already interact online.
Bridal Tukey, division chief administrative law judge for OAH’s unemployment-insurance division, said more than 90% of ESD customers rely on electronic communications and that focusing the pilot on UI cases (which are more likely to be managed online) would allow OAH to reduce costs while maintaining access, with an option to request mailed paper copies.
Anne Paxton, policy director for the Unemployment Law Project, urged the committee to oppose or substantially revise the bill, arguing automatic electronic service without consent would worsen inequities for claimants without reliable Internet, with limited digital literacy or without printers; she said only about 5% of claimants have a printer and cited a 16% estimate for limited digital literacy. Paxton warned that losing automatic paper exhibit files and notices would make meaningful participation in hearings more difficult for many claimants.
Committee members asked staff and witnesses clarifying questions about opt-in versus automatic electronic service and how OAH would protect vulnerable populations; OAH staff said paper service would remain available upon request and that the pilot would prioritize careful implementation and outreach.
The committee closed the hearing and moved on to other agenda items.