Comment from Muskin, Mitchell, Social Security Admin

Docket Number SSA-2011-0056 Comments on Proposed Changes to Scheduling and Appearing at Hearings 20CFR Parts 404, 405 and 416 1. "claimant to notify us in writing, of an objection to the time and place of hearing at the earliest opportunity, but not later than 5 days before the date of the hearing …" Comment: The five day notice before the date of the hearing is too short of time for the following reasons: a. This does not allow sufficient time to place another claimant in the time slot being abandoned. b. Medical and vocational experts and hearing reporters need to be notified of a change of schedule c. Five day advance notice to medical experts and vocational experts will result in payments to them for reviewing the claimant's file for a hearing not held. d. If another claimant can be found for the abandoned hearing date, more time is needed to contact the representative, the medical expert, vocational expert and hearing monitor to determine if they are available for the hearing. e. It may be necessary to find new experts and hearing monitors because the originally scheduled experts may have conflicts with previously scheduled hearings. f. Generally, it takes four to six hours to postpone a hearing due to all the notifications that must be given to all parties involved. Usually, there is a complicating factor requiring resolution before the postponement can be finalized.