Our conference was jam-packed with valuable information. If you weren’t able to attend, we hope that you’ll visit our store and check out the many new offerings that we’re adding from our time in Nashville, including the General Session where we heard directly from Commissioner O’Malley and OHO Deputy Commissioner Joe Lytle.

Because the information shared by SSA was so vital, we want all of our members to have a chance to view the slides that the Commissioner and the heads of OHO used during their presentations.

Key takeaways:

• Goal for FY2024: all hearings processed within 270 days (this goal is only possible if representatives continue to opt into telephone and MS Teams hearings, allowing for the equal distribution of hearings caseloads across all OHOs)
• Goal: exhibit evidence at least 30 days prior to the hearing
• Goal: process fee petitions within 90 days
• Coming soon: higher quality and easier to download hearing recordings
• Best practice tip: submit pre-hearing briefs whenever possible; save OTR requests for cases when evidence unequivocally supports a favorable decision