§1631. Appeals; conduct of hearings; procedure

The manner in which appealed claims shall be presented and the conduct of hearings and appeals shall be in accordance with regulations prescribed by the board of review for determining the rights of the parties, whether or not such regulations conform to the usual rules of evidence and other technical rules of procedure. When the same or substantially similar evidence is relevant and material to the matters in issue in claims by more than one individual or in claims by a single individual with respect to two or more weeks of unemployment, the same time and place for considering each claim may be fixed, hearings thereon jointly conducted, a single record of the proceedings made, and the evidence introduced with respect to one proceeding considered as introduced in the others, if in the judgment of the referee having jurisdiction of the proceeding such consolidation would not be prejudicial to any party. No person shall participate on behalf of the administrator or the board of review in any case in which he has a direct or indirect interest. A record shall be kept of all testimony and proceedings in connection with an appeal, but the testimony need not be transcribed unless further review is initiated. Witnesses subpoenaed pursuant to this section shall be allowed fees at a rate fixed by the administrator and fees of witnesses subpoenaed on behalf of the administrator or any claimant shall be deemed part of the expenses of administering this Chapter.

Acts 2001, No. 1165, §2.