Practical Law Glossary Item 8-595-4145 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ)
An independent hearing examiner who presides at an administrative hearing. An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) has the power to administer oaths, receive evidence, take testimony, and make initial findings of fact or law. An ALJ's findings are subject to review and modification by agency heads. An ALJ may also be referred to as:
ALJs from the US Department of Labor's Office of Administrative Law Judges preside over formal hearings concerning many labor-related matters, including claims related to:
Administrative Law Judges that preside over unemployment insurance hearings and appeals are quasi-judicial agents housed in the Department of Labor, but their decisions are autonomous from the Department of Labor's decisions.
The MSPB's Office of the Administrative Law Judge presides over selected cases brought by the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and appeals of personnel actions taken against other ALJs and MSPB employees.