Rules of Practice and Procedure for Administrative Hearings Before the Office of Administrative Law Judges
Key claim: The Department of Labor is requiring parties in administrative law judge proceedings to submit filings electronically, subject to exceptions for good cause and self-represented individuals.
Abstract
(Rule · Labor Department) This action finalizes the Department of Labor’s (DOL or Department) proposal to require electronic filing (e-filing) in proceedings before the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), published on January 11, 2021. The Department has reviewed the comments received in response to the proposal and is now implementing the rule as described in the proposed rule of January 11, 2021, with appropriate exceptions for good cause shown and self-represented parties.
Why this matters
The final rule changes how workers, employers, and their representatives submit documents in DOL administrative hearings, making electronic filing the default requirement. Exceptions for good cause and self-represented individuals preserve alternatives to mandatory electronic filing; the finding concerns hearing procedure rather than substantive workplace rights or benefits.