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Office of Administrative Hearings

RCW 34.12

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) resolves administrative disputes between members of the public and most state agencies. Issues that come before OAH include requests for unemployment insurance or public assistance benefits, child and vulnerable adult abuse concerns, child support liability, business and professional licensing (ranging from electrical contractors to nursing homes and daycare facilities), special education, whistleblower cases for local governments, and other disputes in which due process of law requires a hearing. The participants present evidence and testimony at the hearing. An administrative law judge issues a written order containing findings of fact and conclusions of law on all contested issues. The agency’s services are funded by payments made by the affected client agency.

Agency Mission

We independently resolve administrative disputes through accessible, fair, prompt processes and issue sound decisions.
Request 76,898,000
Net change from current biennium 362,000 Increase
Percent change from current biennium 0.47% Increase

Operating Budget: Summary

Appropriated Funds

2023-25 Appropriations Appropriated Funds Expenditures
Amount Estimated Balance   2021-23 Actual 2023-25 Estimated 2025-27 Proposed
12,000 Administrative Hearings Revolving - Private/Local 27 12,000 12,000
Industrial Insurance Premium Refund - Nonappropriated
(50,000) Local Gov Administrative Hearings - Nonappropriated 93,744 50,000 50,000
76,474,000 Administrative Hearings Revolving - State 66,484,511 76,474,000 76,836,000
76,486,000 (50,000) Total Appropriated Funds 66,578,282 76,536,000 76,898,000

Non-Appropriated Funds

Operating Budget: Program Summary

Program Title Actual Estimated Proposed
Actual Estimated Estimated Proposed Proposed
Annual Total 34,680,272 35,309,248 13,758,197 38,373,000 38,525,000

Operating Budget: Change from Preceding Biennium

Actual Estimated Proposed
Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent
25,106,419 60.5% (17,510,837) (26.3%) 27,830,554 56.7%

Employment Summary

  Actual Estimated Proposed
  2022-23 Actual 2023-24 Estimated 2024-25 Estimated 2025-26 Proposed 2026-27 Proposed
FTE Staff Years 234.1 219.0 219.7 240.3 240.0