Section 10.280  Right to Appeal

a)         Any individual who applies for or receives financial assistance, medical assistance, social services or SNAP benefits shall have the right to appeal any of the following:

1)         Refusal to accept an application or reapplication;

2)         Failure to act on an application within the mandated time period;

3)         A decision to deny an application;

4)         A decision to reduce, suspend, terminate or in any way change the amount of assistance/SNAP benefits or manner in which it is provided;

5)         Failure to make a decision or take appropriate action on any request that the client makes;

6)         A decision affecting the basis of issuance of SNAP benefits with which the client disagrees; or

7)         An issue of Department policy, if the client is aggrieved by its application.

b)         The appeal may be filed by the client or the client's authorized representative.  The request for a hearing shall be made in writing, except when seeking review of a decision relating to benefits issued pursuant to SNAP, which may also be requested orally.  The appeal may be submitted via the Department's online ABE Appeals Portal, via facsimile transmission (fax), or in person at the Bureau of Hearings or at any Family Community Resource Center.  The appeal process is initiated effective with the date of the request.

(Source:  Amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 6987, effective May 31, 2019)