Vision
Firm, Fast, Fair
Mission
The Employment Appeals
Board’s mission is to ensure correct and consistent interpretation and
application of Employment Department policy and state and federal laws at all three
levels of the claims determination process.
Organization
The Oregon Legislative
Assembly created the Employment Appeals Board (EAB) in the Employment
Department in 1959 (ORS 657.685) to review contested unemployment insurance
claims orders issued by what is now the Office of Administrative Hearings
(OAH). Prior to 1959, Oregon’s
unemployment and workers compensation programs were administered by a
three-member commission acting in dual roles as the State Unemployment
Compensation Commission (SUCC) and the State Industrial Accident Commission
(SIAC). The SUCC was responsible for
reviewing contested orders on unemployment insurance claims. EAB was created to assume that responsibility,
simplify the appeal process, and speed resolution of contested cases.
EAB is a quasi-judicial
agency of the Employment Department. It
consists of three board members, appointed by the Governor to four-year terms,
three legal staff, and two office staff.
EAB issues between 1500 and 2000 decisions per year. Appeal from an EAB
decision is to the Court of Appeals.