California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 8 - Office of the Director
Subchapter 6 - Prevailing Wage Hearings
Article 3 - Prehearing Procedures
Section 17230 - Scheduling of Hearing; Continuances and Tolling

(a) The appointed Hearing Officer shall establish the place and time of the hearing on the merits, giving due consideration to the needs of all Parties and the statutory time limits for hearing and deciding the matter. Parties are encouraged to communicate scheduling needs to the Hearing Officer and all other Parties at the earliest opportunity. It shall not be a violation of Rule 07 [Section 17207] 's prohibition on ex parte communications for the Hearing Officer or his or her designee to communicate with Parties individually for purposes of clearing dates and times and proposing locations for the hearing. The Hearing Officer may also conduct a prehearing conference by telephone or any other expeditious means for purposes of establishing the time and place of the hearing.

(b) Once a hearing date is set, a request for a continuance that is not joined in by all other Parties or that is for more than 30 days will not be granted absent a showing of extraordinary circumstances, giving due regard to the potential prejudice to other Parties in the case and other Persons affected by the matter under review. Absent an enforceable waiver (see subpart (d) below), no continuance will be granted nor any proceeding otherwise delayed if doing so is likely to prevent the Hearing Officer from commencing the hearing on the matter within the statutory time limit.

(c) A request for a continuance that is for 30 days or less and is joined by all Parties shall be granted upon a showing of good cause. Notwithstanding subpart (b) above, a unilateral request for a continuance made by the Party who filed the Request for Review shall be granted upon a showing of good cause if the new date for commencing the hearing is no more than 150 days after the date of service of the Assessment or Notice of Withholding of Contract Payments.

(d) If a Party makes or joins in any request that would delay or otherwise extend the time for hearing or deciding a review proceeding beyond any prescribed time limit, such request shall also be deemed a waiver by that Party of that time limit.

(e) The time limits for hearing and deciding a review proceeding shall also be deemed tolled (1) when proceedings are suspended to seek judicial enforcement of a subpoena or other order to compel the attendance, testimony, or production of evidence by a necessary witness; (2) when the proceedings are stayed or enjoined by any court order; (3) between the time that a proceeding is dismissed and then ordered reinstated under Rule 25 [Section 17225] above; (4) upon the order of a court reinstating or requiring rehearing of the merits of a proceeding; or (5) during the pendency of any other cause beyond the Director's direct control (including but not limited to natural disasters, temporary unavailability of a suitable hearing facility, or absence of budget authority) that prevents the Director or any appointed Hearing Officer from carrying out his or her responsibilities under these Rules.