(1) An applicant for a conference board must make reasonable efforts to resolve the dispute with division of child support (DCS) staff before the conference board can act in the case.

(2) A conference board chair reviews each application to determine appropriate action:

(a) If there are questions of both law and fact or if the dispute involves only facts, the chair may schedule a conference board hearing to gather evidence;

(b) If the factual dispute would not provide a basis on which the conference board could grant relief, even if all facts were resolved in favor of the applicant, the chair may issue a decision without a hearing; or

(c) If the dispute can be resolved as a matter of law without relying upon disputed facts, the conference board chair may issue a decision without scheduling a hearing.

(3) If the conference board chair schedules a hearing, the conference board is made up of the conference board chair and staff from the DCS field office which handles the child support case, if needed.

(a) At the hearing, the conference board makes determinations of relevant disputed facts. Decisions on factual issues are made by a majority of the conference board.

(b) Decisions on issues of law are made by the conference board chair alone.

(c) The DCS worker regularly assigned to a case may not be part of a conference board dealing with that case.

(4) The conference board chair prepares a decision, if necessary, and provides that decision to the parties to the conference board, and to the DCS staff responsible for the case.

(5) The director of DCS, or a person designated by the director, may review conference board decisions, and may alter, amend, vacate or remand decisions that are inconsistent with Washington law or DCS policy, or are grossly unfair.