Video Hearing (VH) Opt-Out Numbers and Rates for Hearing Requests Received FY 2021

This dataset contains counts of hearing request receipts in the months shown and objections to appearing at the hearing by video teleconferencing (VTC) known as “opt outs”.

When hearing offices receive a request for a hearing, they send an acknowledgement notice to the claimant and any representative.  With the acknowledgement, a form is provided to the claimant/ representative with the opportunity to object to appearing by VTC, or to “opt out of” a video hearing, within 30 days of receiving the notice (or later if good cause is found).

Considering the minimum 30-day wait time, mailing time, and hearing office processing time, we wait 90 days before reporting the opt out number and percentage for any given month.  This is why the data shown in the table reflect the receipts for work months completed at least 90 days ago.  It should be noted, though that, even with the 90-day lag time, some VH opt outs may continue to be recorded for receipts in any month.  As a result, the number of VH opt outs and the percentages shown are subject to change.

NOTE: In the interest of more efficient management information reporting, effective with the FY 2021 report, this report will use opt-out requests posted in a given month as compared to receipts in that same month to arrive at the opt-out rates. This is the same opt-out rate calculation method used for internal OHO reporting and means that we no longer need to wait for 90 days before reporting on opt-outs received.

Month	Receipts	VH Opt-Outs	% Opt-Out
October 2020	37,269	9,062	24%
November 2020	27,751	6,433	23%
December 2020	27,265	6,026	22%
January 2021	34,287	7,848	23%
February 2021	28,842	6,765	23%
March 2021	31,876	6,833	21%
April 2021	39,513	7,219	18%
May 2021	32,306	6,259	19%
June 2021	30,024	5,535	18%
July 2021	37,311	7,187	19%
August 2021	29,223	6,097	21%
September 2021	27,203	5,596	21%
FY 2021	382,870	80,860	21%