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.
