This document discusses the author's experience representing employers at unemployment insurance hearings. The author retired in 2011 after a 28-year career with Arizona's Department of Economic Security. She then found work representing employers at unemployment hearings. She has represented various clients from Barnett Associates and strives to thoroughly prepare employer witnesses and documentation for hearings. The author works independently from home but is flexible and reliable, having participated in hearings from various locations. She takes pride in her communication skills and claims that representatives have told her she "hardly ever loses" hearings. The author enjoys the challenge of unemployment hearings and is asking to be considered as a representative.

1. Unemployment Appeals; Hearing Representation and Support
Unemployment Hearings Employer Preparation
Unemployment Hearings Documentation Preparation and Submission
After retiring, in 2011, from a 28-year career in Arizona's Department of Economic
Security, which included Unemployment Insurance, Job Services, Administration
Technical Support, and Training, I found a "retirement career" providing representation
at Unemployment Insurance Hearings.
Initially trained and coached by Mary Otu, a close personal friend, I did hearings under
her auspices, and handled her "overflow" schedule. Over time, Mary Otu's workload
was taken over by Eka Otu. Eventually, Barnett Associates reached out to me, asking if
I would accept offers of hearings from them, and for the last several years, I have
represented various Barnett Associates Client Employers, often at a full-time hearing
load level, with an occasional additional hearing as a favor to Eka Otu, for Thomas and
Thorngren,
I believe that the Barnett Coordinators and Managers who offered me hearings, did so
with the utmost confidence in my ability and willingness to ensure that Employer
witnesses were thoroughly prepared; that I would elicit and prepare proper
documentation for consideration at the hearing; that I would support and stand behind
Barnett Associates' service provision; and that I made every effort to ensure success
both for the Employer and Barnett.
Working from home, independently, I have been diligent, thorough, flexible, and, I
believe, likable. I have always gone over and above, with the intention of making the
hearing and associated tasks and information as easy and accessible as possible for
the Employer and Employer witnesses; Barnett Hearing Coordinators and Managers;
Barnett Administrative Staff; and, last but not least, Hearing Officers, Referees, and
Judges. I strive for clarity, unambiguous communication, and complete information.
Hearings always start out as puzzles for me: What is the back story? Do we have the
information we need? What is the issue the Judge will have to address? What does the
Employer have to make sure the Judge knows? What documentation supports the
Employer's credibility? How can I make sure the Employer is comfortable participating?
I take great satisfaction in finding and conveying the answers to these questions, as part
of my preparation with Employer witnesses. I always tell a "newbie" witness that I want

2. them to be comfortable going into the hearing, confident that they know what questions
will be asked, and that in addition to "walking them through the hearing, potential
question by question," I will answer any questions they may have.
I am nothing if not flexible, and prep with witnesses whenever necessary, despite time
zone, shift, and geographic differences. I am happy to speak with a witness on
weekends and evenings. I am dependable - I have done hearings from hospital waiting
rooms and cafeterias, declining judges' offers of postponement; I have been delayed
during travel or when out of town, but always have my materials and tools with me, and
have done hearings as necessary from my car at a rest-stop, a parking lot, or wherever
necessary.
I am not aware, generally, of the outcomes - favorable or unfavorable - of specific
hearings, but I have been told by Barnett Hearings Coordinators, that I "hardly ever
lose." I do know that several major clients have HR people and in some cases,
witnesses, who specifically ask that I be assigned "to help them."
I love the challenge of doing hearings. I am reachable; I am consistently reliable; I pride
myself on being a good communicator. I reply to inquiries of availability immediately. I
have Attorney Supervision in Arizona (for a paltry $10 per hearing), and can re-establish
Attorney Supervision in N.C., if asked to do so. I provide blow-by-blow notes of
questions and testimony immediately after a hearing.
I can list "skills and experience" which qualify me to represent at hearings - and will
certainly do so, if that is requested or needed. I believe the people who have offered me
hearings, worked with me at hearings, provided administrative support (document
submission or clarification about Employer responses), can and will endorse me.
Please consider including me as your representative at hearings for which you provide
representation.
Feel free to reach out to me if there is any additional information I can provide.
My contact information is as follows:
Maxine Piper
928-476-2800
602-568-8747
fax: 888-432-8089