441—7.5(17A) How to request an appeal.
	7.5(1) Ways to request a hearing. An appellant may request a contested case hearing:
	a. 	Via the department’s website,
	b. 	By telephone, except as specified in subrule 7.5(4),
	c. 	By mail,
	d. 	In person, except as specified in subrule 7.5(4), or
	e. 	Through other commonly available electronic means (such as email or facsimile).
	7.5(2) Hearing request. The request for a contested case hearing must be sufficiently detailed so that the department can reasonably understand the action being appealed. The department may request additional information to determine the scope of the appeal. The department may deny if there is not sufficient information to determine the action being appealed.
	7.5(3) Filing date. The date of filing for appeal requests sent by regular mail shall be the date postmarked on the envelope sent to the department or, when a postmarked envelope is not available, on the date the appeal is stamped received by the agency. The date of filing for appeal requests sent electronically shall be determined by the date on which the electronic submission was completed.
	7.5(4) Appeals that must be filed in writing. Appeal requests pertaining to foster care, adoption, state supplementary assistance, the autism support program, the Iowa individual disaster assistance program, the Iowa disaster case management program, sex offender risk assessment, record check evaluation, child care registered or nonregistered homes, child abuse, dependent adult abuse or child support must be made in writing.
	7.5(5) Department’s responsibilities. Unless the appeal is voluntarily withdrawn, the department shall:
	a. 	Within one working day of receipt of an appeal request, forward the request for appeal and envelope (if any) and a copy of the notice to the appeals section.
	b. 	Within ten days of the receipt of the appeal, forward a summary and supporting documentation of the worker’s or agent’s factual basis for the proposed action to the appeals section.
	c. 	Copies of all materials sent to the appeals section or the presiding officer to be considered in reaching a decision on the appeal are to be provided to the appellant at the same time as the materials are sent to the appeals section or the presiding officer.
[ARC 8045C, IAB 5/29/24, effective 7/3/24]