Hearings

Below are instructions on how to read and use the hearing schedule.

SORT BY ATTORNEY, DEPUTY, OR VENUE

The WCD hearing schedule allows you to sort by:

• Venue,
• Attorney, or
• Presiding deputy workers' compensation commissioner. 

When sorting by attorney, opposing counsel does not appear in the case information. To find opposing counsel, use Control-F or Command-F on the browser's search function. Enter the agency file number. It appears under the names of both the claimant's attorney and defense attorney.

PRIMARY HEARING STATUS

All hearings at the Des Moines venue have primary status. There are two primary hearing times each day at road venues: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. All cases assigned primary status will have "Primary" next to the date and time of the hearing. WCD does not assign a slot number to a case in primary hearing status.

SECONDARY (BACKUP) HEARING STATUS & SLOT NUMBERS

Each day of hearings at a road venue has four potential secondary (backup) slots. Each case receives a secondary slot number 1 through 4. All cases assigned secondary status will have "Secondary" next to the date and time of the hearing. Cases in secondary status have 6:00 p.m. listed next to the time of the case name. This is the placeholder time used on WCES for secondary hearings.

If either of the cases assigned a primary hearing slot settle, the cases assigned backup slots will move up as follows:

• The case assigned Backup Slot No. 1 will become a primary hearing, filling the spot left vacant by the settlement.
• The case assigned Backup Slot No. 2 will move up to Backup Slot No. 1.
• The case assigned Backup Slot No. 3 will move up to Backup Slot No. 2.
• The case assigned Backup Slot No. 4 will move up to Backup Slot No. 3.

NOTES

The third column from the left on the hearing schedule is the "Notes" column. WCD may include notes about a hearing such as:

• If it is a telephone hearing
• The type of hearing (e.g., alternate care)
• Any consolidated file numbers

SEARCH

Use your browser's find functionality to search for any items on these pages. To do this, use either the Ctrl-F or Command-F buttons.

• To search for an attorney, type in the attorney's last name, comma, and first name (e.g., "Doe , Jane").
• To search for a venue, type in the venue's name (e.g., "Des Moines," "Cedar Rapids," "Sioux City," etc.).

WCD is dedicated to helping people with disabilities take part in agency hearings. If you need assistance because of a disability, contact the assistant workers' compensation commissioner as soon as possible to start arranging accommodations.

If someone in a court case doesn't understand English well, they might need an interpreter for the hearing. WCD isn't responsible for arranging interpreters. The involved parties must cooperate to find and pay for an interpreter themselves, as required by Iowa law (Chapter 622B). Someone who doesn't understand English well may need an interpreter for their hearing.

Also, if it's required by Iowa law (Chapter 622A), the defendant(s) must bring an audio tape recorder and tapes for the hearing.

Quick Start Guide and Tutorial Video
Use the Quick Start Guide for instructions on how to create an arbitration hearing on WCES.

Deadline for Scheduling
Arbitration hearings must be scheduled within 120 days from the claimant's petition filing date. Failure to schedule promptly may result in WCD setting the hearing details unilaterally.

Schedule arbitration hearings within 120 days from the claimant's petition filing date.

Scheduling Process
Parties must collaborate using WCES to select a hearing date, time, and location.

Checking Available Dates and Times
Consult the WCD hearing schedule and search by deputy to find available dates and times for your presiding deputy.

Scheduling a Hearing in a Consolidated Case
If your case is consolidated, follow specific submission guidelines on WCES. This ensures all related WCD file numbers are noted.

Approval or Rejection of Hearing Requests
WCD notifies claimant's about the status of their hearing request via WCES. This includes the approval or rejection of the request.

For rejected hearings, all parties should coordinate to propose a new date. Resubmit the date through WCES.

Alternate Care Hearings
Do not use the WCES hearing request tool to schedule hearings related to alternate care applications.

Requesting Primary and Secondary Hearing Dates at Road Venues
Use the WCES tool to request a secondary or primary hearing date at a road venue. First select the city and then select the hearing dates, either primary or secondary.

Contacting WCD for Hearing Requests
Use WCES to make hearing requests. Do not call or email WCD.

Changing Hearing Dates After Assignment Order Issuance
File an eMotion to continue via WCES if you need to change a scheduled hearing date.

Technical Failures in WCES
If a technical failure prevents WCES from receiving hearing requests, the Commissioner will issue an order that explains how to submit requests. WCD will post the order on the website. Follow any order of the Commissioner relating to the submission of hearing requests.

Prehearing Procedures
Agency rules and the hearing assignment order govern prehearing procedures.

Exhibits
Attorneys and unrepresented parties can use the Uniform Guidelines on the Preparation of Hearing Exhibits document to prepare for hearings.

Arbitration Decision
After the presiding deputy issues an arbitration decision, it resolves the disputes between the parties. If a party doesn't submit an application for rehearing or a notice of appeal within the designated time frame, the decision then becomes final.

Appeal of Arbitration Decision to Commissioner
A party may appeal a deputy's arbitration decision or ruling on rehearing within 20 days. The Workers' Compensation Commissioner determines appeals. Submit the notice of appeal on WCES, unless the filing party has special permission to submit paper documents. In those cases, send paper documents to:

Workers Compensation Commissioner
150 Des Moines Street
Des Moines, IA 50309-1836

The notice of appeal must reach WCD within 20 days from the decision date. If the 20th day falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline extends to the next business day.

Judicial Review of Commissioner's Appeal Decision
If a party does not timely file an application for rehearing, the Commissioner’s decision becomes final agency action. Within 30 days of the Commissioner’s appeal decision, a party may seek judicial review of the decision in an appropriate Iowa district court under the Iowa Administrative Procedure Act, Iowa Code chapter 17A.

A party may seek judicial review of the Commissioner's appeal decision within 30 days. This is done in an appropriate Iowa district court under the Iowa Administrative Procedure Act, Iowa Code chapter 17A. If a party does not file a timely application for rehearing, the decision becomes final.

Most hearings DWC holds are via live internet-based video. DWC holds in-person hearings at the eight locations listed below in alphabetical order.

CEDAR RAPIDS (CR), 6TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Lindale Mall
4444 1st Avenue NE, Suite 436
Cedar Rapids, IA  52402

COUNCIL BLUFFS (CB), 4TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Pottawattamie Co. Courthouse 
227 South 6th Street 
Council Bluffs, IA 51501

DAVENPORT (DA), 7TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
IowaWORKS Center 
1801 East Kimberly Road, Suite 1 
Davenport, IA  52807

DES MOINES (DM), 5TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Division of Workers' Compensation 
150 Des Moines Street 
Des Moines, IA 50309

FORT DODGE (FD), 2ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT
IowaWORKS 
3 Triton Circle 
Fort Dodge, IA 50501

OTTUMWA (OT), 8TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Indian Hills Community College, IowaWORKS, 
IHCC North Campus, 
15260 Truman Street 
Ottumwa, IA  52501

SIOUX CITY (SC), 3RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT
IowaWORKS 
2508 4th Street 
Sioux City, IA  51101

WATERLOO (WA), 1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT
IowaWORKS 
3420 University Avenue 
Waterloo, IA  50701

The WCD uses an expedited process for alternate care hearings. WCD conducts alternate care hearings by phone, unless a party requests an in-person hearing. If a party requests an in-person alternate care hearing, the hearing is held in Des Moines, IA.

Effect of Disputed Liability
Iowa Administrative Code rule 876—4.48 governs applications for alternate care. Rule 876—4.48(6) is properly invoked only where liability of the employer is not at issue. If the defendant(s) dispute liability, the petition for alternate care application will be dismissed without prejudice.

Participation 
WCD sends a notice of hearing to all parties. The notice of hearing contains instructions on how to take part in the hearing.

• Telephone Hearings
  WCD will call the parties and/or attorneys at the phone number(s) provided in the pleadings at the time of hearing. A party or attorney should contact WCD if they need to be contacted at a number other than one provided in documentation. Contact WCD no later than 4:30 p.m. Central time on the last business day before the date of the hearing.

• In-Person Hearings
  The parties and/or attorneys must attend and participate in the hearing in person at the time and location in the notice of hearing.

• Failure to Participate
  If the claimant fails to participate in the hearing, the petition may be dismissed.

  If the defendant(s) fails to participate, the decision may grant in favor of the claimant.

Representation
A party may be represented at hearing under Iowa Administrative Code rule 876—4.48(13).

Evidence 
The parties must come prepared to present their case at the time of hearing. All written evidence must be:

• Limited to 10 pages or less
• Exchanged with all parties before the hearing
• eFiled on WCES before the hearing 

Discovery 
Discovery is optional. Complete any discovery before the hearing. WCD will not rule on discovery disputes or motions.

Briefs
Briefs are optional. Any briefs must be eFiled on WCES before the date of hearing. Briefs are limited to three pages in length.

Alternate Care Decision
WCD will issue a decision on the application for alternate care within 10 business days from the date the petition was filed.

The Workers' Compensation Commissioner authorized the presiding deputy commissioner to issue the final decision on applications for alternate care. Alternate care decisions cannot be appealed to the Commissioner. Instead, the only way to appeal such a decision is through judicial review. This is done in an appropriate Iowa district court under the Iowa Administrative Procedure Act, found in Iowa Code chapter 17A.