Unemployment appeal glossary

Administrative record

The testimony, admitted exhibits, filings, rulings, and other
materials officially included in the agency proceeding and transmitted
for review.

Appeal Tribunal

The first-level administrative hearing body in jurisdictions using
that name. Other states may use “referee,” “administrative law judge,”
or “appeals bureau.”

Burden of proof

The obligation to establish a disputed legal issue. Allocation varies
by issue and state.

Determination

An agency decision concerning monetary eligibility, separation,
availability, work refusal, reporting, overpayment, fraud, or another
claim issue.

Disqualification

A legal consequence that prevents benefits for specified weeks or
until statutory conditions are met.

Finding of fact

A tribunal’s determination of what happened based on the
evidence.

Good cause

A legal standard used in several contexts, including reasons for
leaving work or for procedural delay. The meaning depends on the
governing statute and issue.

Misconduct

A state-law disqualification standard for certain work-connected
conduct. It is not identical to any conduct for which an employer may
lawfully discharge an employee.

Nonmonetary determination

A decision about an eligibility issue other than the basic wage
calculation.

Overpayment

Benefits the agency determines were paid but not legally due.

Referee decision

The written decision after a first-level unemployment hearing in
jurisdictions using a referee system.

Remand

An order returning the case to a lower tribunal or agency for
additional proceedings identified by the reviewing body.

Substantial evidence

An administrative-review standard concerning whether the record
contains adequate evidence to support a finding. The exact formulation
and application are jurisdiction-specific.

Voluntary quit

A separation initiated by the worker, subject to state-specific
definitions and good-cause rules. Whether a separation was truly
voluntary can itself be disputed.

UI and UI Appeals

“UI” means unemployment insurance in this publication. Government
agencies also use “UI appeals” for appeal units, bureaus, tribunals, and
web resources. uiappeals.com/ is an independent publication, not an
agency.

National concept and state
term

A state may use referee, administrative law judge, appeal tribunal,
hearing officer, board of review, appeal board, commission, or another
term. State guides preserve the official term and map it to the national
appeal stage.