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The role of the Financial Assistance Appeals Tribunal is to hear and determine appeals against decisions made by the Department of Financial Assistance (DFA).
Section 19 of the Financial Assistance Act, 2022 establishes the Financial Assistance (Appeals) Tribunal to hear and determine appeals against decisions issued by the DFA regarding matters of financial assistance. Following a hearing, the Tribunal may confirm, change, or set aside the decision of the DFA.
The Tribunal functions in an independent and neutral capacity and adheres to the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness. The Tribunal meets as necessary to hear appeals. The process for appealing a decision can be found below and in the Tribunal’s Policies and Procedures.
All members of the Tribunal are appointed by Cabinet.
Chairperson
Deputy Chair:
Members:
Secretary (Non-voting):
Telephone: (345) 649-6911
Email: faatribunal@gov.ky
A person intending to submit an appeal to the Tribunal must do so in accordance with the Tribunal’s Policies and Procedures (also summarized for reference here). This document specifies the obligations that the appellant and all other parties to an appeal must adhere to.
Before submitting an appeal to the Tribunal, a person who is dissatisfied with a decision made by the DFA regarding the distribution of financial assistance must first submit a request for reconsideration. This must be done within twenty-one (21) working days after the notice of the relevant decision was issued.
The DFA is obligated to respond to an application for reconsideration within twenty-one (21) working days of receiving it. If the DFA refuses to reconsider the decision or releases a reconsideration that leaves the person dissatisfied, the person may then submit an appeal to the Tribunal within twenty-eight (28) working days of the communication of the decision. The Tribunal will then consider the appeal and, unless it determines the appeal to be frivolous or vexatious, schedule a hearing for the appeal. The acting Secretary will generally give the appellant and the DFA at least fourteen (14) working days’ written notice of the time and location of the hearing.
An appellant submitting an appeal on his or her own behalf must complete and submit the Self-Representation Appeals Form. If the appellant intends to be represented by another person, that representative must complete and submit the Thirty Party Representation Form.
Where an appellant wishes to propose a witness he or she must additionally complete and submit a Witness Appointment Form for each witness proposed.
All forms and submissions must be sent to faatribunal@gov.ky or deposited in the Tribunal’s drop box in the public lobby of the Government Administration Building.