Month: September 2024

Late last week, we received notice from the EEOC that all hearings scheduled before October 18, 2024 were temporarily postponed while the EEOC works through some issues raised by the parties in the pre-hearing conferences over the last few weeks. In particular, the EEOC intends to issue a general order applying to all claimants scheduled for hearings. Many claimants whose hearing was temporarily postponed have already received new dates for their hearing. During this short postponement, our office continues to handle pre-hearing conferences and all deadlines associated with pre-hearing conferences and hearings. 

As of now, all hearings scheduled after October 18, 2024 are still moving forward as scheduled. 

While we understand the frustration with this short delay, we are hopeful that this will provide the EEOC the opportunity to ensure the hearing process is streamlined.  Currently, there are still some hearings in October, as well as in the following months. 

As a reminder, if you have received a Scheduling Order notifying you of a pre-hearing conference, and you are represented by our office, please immediately contact us at 585-272-0540. Please be aware that there are deadlines associated with the Scheduling Order, outside of the pre-hearing conference date. 

Unfortunately, we still don’t know if or when additional claimants will be selected for hearings, but we believe the start of hearings, and the subsequent issuing of decisions, is a movement in the case that benefits all claimants. 

We know hearings, and the pre-hearing conferences, have been much anticipated so we wanted to provide an update as to how the process has been going. 

 During the past few weeks, our offices have been attending pre-hearing conferences with claimants we represent.  In anticipation of those pre-hearing conferences, our office on behalf of claimants, as well as USPS, made written submissions to the EEOC.  During the pre-hearing conference, which generally lasts approximately an hour, the Administrative Judges discuss the types of documents which can be used during the hearing, as well as who will be permitted to testify. Ultimately, hearings have started being scheduled with some beginning as early as later this month.  The Administrative Judges are setting aside full days for each hearing, although we do not yet know if it will in fact last the entire day.  

For those curious how it works in terms of our offices role with claimants, we work very close with those claimants selected for a hearing throughout the entire process, including with the preparation of their submissions in anticipation of the pre-hearing conference, speaking with claimants about their experiences with USPS, reviewing claimants documents, preparing claimants on the video conference technology used during the pre-hearing conference and the hearing, and preparing claimants for the hearing.  

If you are curious as to how we may reach out to you if you are selected for a hearing in the future, we reach out in a variety of ways!  We would not only send you letters in the mail, but we would call you, as well as email and text whenever possible.  We also make multiple attempts to reach claimants over the course of a several week time period. Of course, if you have received a notice sent directly to you, please immediately reach out to our office at 585-272-0540 or email us at [email protected].  

Unfortunately, we do not know if, or when, more claims will be designated or who will be identified by the EEOC. 

As always, please email [email protected] if you need to update your contact information. 

We understand this has been a very long road, but we are hopeful these hearings are a significant milestone in the case.  We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue the fight for the recovery for those claimants we represent!