Background

This transmittal amends chapter I-2-1 of the Hearings, Appeals and Litigation Law (HALLEX) manual to update instructions relating to general prehearing case processing and foreign language interpreters. We made significant editorial and formatting changes.

Explanation of Content and Changes

We revised chapter I-2-1 as follows:

HALLEX I-2-1-5 – We clarified that an administrative law judge takes some of the actions listed in the section. To address a new final regulatory rule that was effective on July 25, 2014, we added a requirement that hearing office staff document whether the claimant objects to appearing at the hearing by video teleconferencing. We made other editorial changes throughout the section for consistency with other HALLEX sections.

HALLEX I-2-1-70 – We moved language previously not in a subsection to subsection A.

HALLEX I-2-1-70 A – We changed the title to “Determining Whether a Claimant Needs an Interpreter” and incorporated information previously in HALLEX I-2-6-10. We made editorial and formatting changes to the existing language to improve readability.

HALLEX I-2-1-70 B – We made minor editorial and formatting changes, and we added information previously in HALLEX I-2-6-10 that explains that a person under the age of 18 cannot serve as an interpreter.

HALLEX I-2-1-70 C – We removed the information previously in subsection C because it was duplicative of information in subsection D. We moved the information from subsection D to subsection C and titled the section “Obtaining an Interpreter.” We added instructions on contracted interpreter services under the blanket purchase agreement, made editorial and formatting changes, and removed outdated information.

HALLEX I-2-1-70 D – We removed the subsection because we incorporated the information in subsection C.

Date: November 14, 2014