Skip Maine state header navigation

Agencies | Online Services | Help

Skip First Level Navigation | Skip All Navigation

Home > Unemployment Appeals > Evidence

What evidence will be considered?


Only evidence presented at the hearing will be considered; therefore, you should bring any documents or witnesses to the hearing that can directly help your case. Carefully think through your case. Ask yourself what information, documents, or witnesses will help to establish the facts in your favor.

Choose witnesses who have firsthand information: a person who directly saw or heard the event to which they are testifying. Someone who testifies about what someone else said, saw, or heard is giving hearsay; therefore, he or she can only have limited knowledge of that event. A witness with firsthand information is generally considered more reliable than hearsay evidence since he or she can be cross- examined.

Some hearsay is admissible as evidence. However, it is generally not as reliable as testimony from someone who has firsthand information. Testimony given at the hearing, under oath and subject to cross-examination, is often given more weight than hearsay statements.

If you are the employer, bring the claimant's supervisor or someone who saw and heard what happened to cause the firing; in addition, bring your personnel director. If you are the claimant, bring a witness to key events, someone who can directly help support your case.