Tag: Unemployment Law Judge

MN unemployment judges are real people.  Many applicants seeking benefits have never spoken to a judge prior to their appeal.  For some, this causes stress and anxiety.

If you need help preparing for your unemployment appeal, you found the right place.

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As you research your case, consider which rule of law helps your appeal. Then, prepare, prepare, and prepare.

Raising Issues with an Unemployment Judge

Applicants can ask an Unemployment Law Judge to review new issues. Raising an unemployment issues is supported under Minnesota Rule 3310.2910.

Of course, if the applicant doesn’t know or see the issue prior to the hearing, this too can have a detrimental impact.

Unemployment Law Judges in Minnesota

Here is a short list of judges that might be assigned to an unemployment appeal:

MN Unemployment Judges

When preparing for an unemployment appeal hearing, it is far more important to focus on presenting clear facts and the specific rules that support your eligibility than to worry about which unemployment law judge will be assigned.

While judges may differ in style or questioning, each is bound to apply the same laws and regulations. A well-prepared case—supported by a timely subpoena, an accurate timelines, or references to applicable rules—will stand on its own merit regardless of the judge.

Success in your hearing depends on substance, not speculation about personalities. Strong preparation is your most effective strategy.

Getting no response from the unemployment law judge is as frustrating as it gets.

First, appeals are stressful.  Second, the benefit is desperately needed.

The applicable rule for timeliness is Minn. Stat. 268.105.  But, lets put the rules aside and simplify things.

Untrue Rumors about No Response

• No, a judge missing a deadline has little impact on the success of a claim.
• No, a judge missing a deadline does not mean applicants obtain a default victory. On the other hand, if an applicant misses a deadline, it can have a detrimental impact.
• No, asking for feedback on when a decision will be made does not turn a good case into a bad case.

What to Do when you get No Response from the Judge

There are a number of ways to solicit a response.  This includes:

• Calling the Appeal Hotline
• Asking a State Representative to contact DEED
• Filing documents with a Court, and
• Sending a letter by mail asking for feedback on a decision date.

For cases still in the phone appeal or reconsideration process, sending a letter to the Chief Unemployment Law Judge and the Commissioner of DEED can move mountains!

How Long does it Take?

If you start asking friends, you will drive yourself crazy.  Really, it depends on the week and month.  In my experience, I have seen decisions rendered in days.  Other times, I have seen cases get lost for months.

Over the last few years, I have seen a more efficient process and I am hopeful most folks will see a decision within a few weeks.  In fact, sometimes my Clients receive a lump sum benefit payment before they see something in writing.

Again, as stressful as this process can be, patience is key.

On the other hand, applicants should absolutely knock on doors, make phone calls and send letters to assure their case is still moving forward.

Finally, stay positive.

Judging unemployment is serious stuff.  I believe the process of seeking unemployment should not start with telling your whole story and finding ways to reduce stress or anxiety.

Instead, take this process in strides and chunks.

The first person judging unemployment is…

The very first person who gets to judge your unemployment claim is YOU!  Being approved unemployment benefits is not based on principle.  Instead, unemployment claims are decided by rule 268.095.

Sometimes, the best plan is identifying a specific fact applicable to a rule supporting your eligibility.

Unfortunately, those filling out applications will judge their own merits and fail at identifying the important parts.  In my experience, the most difficult element to separate is emotion.  If you are emotional about your own case, then very likely you have already misjudged your own claim.

The second person judging unemployment is…

The second person judging unemployment claims are those reviewing your application.  In my experience, these folks are very unskilled.

I say this with good intentions because I acknowledge the group of people reviewing unemployment applications have spent zero time reviewing past cases available to the public.

One of the best ways around this is sticking to facts and the laws favoring eligibility.  Another method, which many people claiming unemployment take, is wishing for the best and appealing a denied claim.

The third person judging unemployment is…

The third person judging unemployment claims are people called unemployment law judges or ULJ.

Yes, unemployment law judges are lawyers hired by the unemployment office who serve as impartial reviewers of unemployment claims.

In other words, much like a judge you have seen on television or a past experience, an unemployment law judge does everything another judge might do.

The fourth, fifth and sixth person judging unemployment is….

Yes, an applicant seeking unemployment benefits can have their case judged by even more people than three.

If a person decides to appeal their case to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, a fourth, fifth and sixth person will be judging the case.

When should I judge your case?

I agree – this stuff can be stressful and overwhelming.

I believe every applicant can save money and reduce stress by seeking my judgment early on or leaning on a rule that might improve the likelihood of your eligibility.

If you need help, please contact me directly.