Appeals Process

Appeals Process

The Appeals Department of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) conducts hearings regarding UI benefits, labor disputes, and charges made to an employer’s tax account. Some decisions regarding federal program eligibility, such as TAA or TRA can also be appealed. A claimant or an employer affected by a decision of the agency can appeal the denial of benefits or the award of benefits. The adversely affected party can appeal an initial determination or an amended determination.

In most cases, an appeal request must be filed within 14 days of the mailing date of your determination. You must include your Social Security Number on any correspondence regarding your claim. Your appeal request may be made in person by contacting your MDES local WIN Job Center, calling 1-866-633-7041, or by mailing or faxing a signed letter indicating a desire to appeal to:

Mississippi Department of Employment Security
Appeals Department
P.O. Box 1699
Jackson, MS 39215-1699
Fax: 877- 994-6329

Important: During the appeal process you must CONTINUE TO FILE WEEKLY CLAIMS, as long as you are unemployed, in order to preserve your benefit rights.

Once your appeal request is received, a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (Judge) will be scheduled as soon as possible. You will receive a written notification of the time, date and place for your hearing. After the hearing has taken place you will receive a written decision from the Judge, usually within 14 days. The Judge has the authority to reverse, modify, or affirm the original decision.

After you receive your decision, if you disagree with the Judge’s decision, you can file a written appeal to the Board of Review by following the same process described above. If you still disagree with the Board of Review’s decision, you may then file to the Circuit Court in the county where you live. In cases where the plaintiff is not a resident of the State of Mississippi, such action may be filed in the circuit court of the county in which the employer is located, where the cause of action occurred, or in the county of employment. If you disagree with the Circuit Court Judge’s decision you may then file to the Mississippi Supreme Court.

If you have filed an appeal and have questions that were not addressed above, the Appeals Information Frequently Asked Questions  should help you find the answers you need.

Employers who need information on appealing a tax issue may select Tax Appeal Information