Who can appeal the ALJ's decision and what is the process?
20 C.F.R. § 655.1245
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) The Administrator or any interested party desiring review of the decision and order of an administrative law judge, including judicial review, must petition the Department's Administrative Review Board (Board) to review the ALJ's decision and order. To be effective, such petition must be received by the Board within 30 days of the date of the decision and order. Copies of the petition must be served on all parties and on the administrative law judge.
(b) No particular form is prescribed for any petition for the Board's review permitted by this subpart. However, any such petition must:
(1) Be dated;
(2) Be typewritten or legibly written;
(3) Specify the issue or issues stated in the administrative law judge's decision and order giving rise to such petition;
(4) State the specific reason or reasons why the party petitioning for review believes such decision and order are in error;
(5) Be signed by the party filing the petition or by an authorized representative of such party;
(6) Include the address at which such party or authorized representative desires to receive further communications relating thereto; and
(7) Attach copies of the administrative law judge's decision and order, and any other record documents which would assist the Board in determining whether review is warranted.
(c) Whenever the Board determines to review the decision and order of an administrative law judge, a notice of the Board's determination must be served upon the administrative law judge and upon all parties to the proceeding within 30 days after the Board's receipt of the petition for review. If the Board determines that it will review the decision and order, the order shall be inoperative unless and until the Board issues an order affirming the decision and order.
(d) Within 15 days of receipt of the Board's notice, the Office of Administrative Law Judges shall forward the complete hearing record to the Board.
(e) The Board's notice shall specify:
(1) The issue or issues to be reviewed;
(2) The form in which submissions must be made by the parties (e.g., briefs, oral argument);
(3) The time within which such submissions must be made.
(f) All documents submitted to the Board shall be filed with the Administrative Review Board in accordance with 29 CFR part 26. Documents are not deemed filed with the Board until actually received by the Board. All documents, including documents filed by mail, shall be received by the Board either on or before the due date.
(g) Copies of all documents filed with the Board must be served upon all other parties involved in the proceeding. Service upon the Administrator must be in accordance with § 655.1230(b).
(h) The Board's final decision shall be issued within 180 days from the date of the notice of intent to review. The Board's decision shall be served upon all parties and the administrative law judge.
(i) Upon issuance of the Board's decision, the Board shall transmit the entire record to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for custody in accordance with § 655.1250.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-20.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026