Section 140.08. Postponement of hearings.

 

(1)  A party who requests a postponement of a hearing shall make the request known to the hearing office as soon as the party becomes aware that a postponement is necessary. Unreasonable delay in requesting a postponement may be the basis for denial of the request.

(2)  No postponements may be granted for the mere convenience of a party. All parties are expected to arrange time off from their everyday affairs, including management duties, work and school, to attend hearings. The hearing office or the administrative law judge scheduled to conduct the hearing may grant a postponement only for an exceptional reason. An exceptional reason may include circumstances such as the following:

(a) Serious illness of a party or necessary witness;

(b) Death of an immediate family member of a party or necessary witness;

(c) Weather conditions on the day of the hearing which make it hazardous for a party or a necessary witness to travel to the hearing location;

(d) Transportation difficulties arising suddenly which prevent a party or necessary witness from traveling to the hearing location;

(e) A business meeting of a necessary witness which was scheduled prior to receipt of the hearing notice and which cannot be re-scheduled;

(f) Commitment of a representative which was scheduled prior to his or her being retained and which cannot be re-scheduled, if the party contacted the representative within a reasonable time after receipt of the hearing notice; or

(g) An unavoidable delay on the day of the hearing which prevents the administrative law judge from conducting the hearing as scheduled.

Cr. Register, November, 1985, No. 359 , eff. 12-1-85; renum. from ILHR 140.07 and am., Register, June, 1997, No. 498 , eff. 7-1-97.