Section 620. Referees' hearings

1. Disputed claims for benefits.  (a) A
  claimant who is dissatisfied with an initial determination of his or her
  claim for benefits or any other  party,  including  any  employer  whose
  employer account percentage might be affected by such determination may,
  within  thirty  days after the mailing or personal delivery of notice of
  such determination, request a hearing. The referee may extend  the  time
  fixed  for  requesting  a  hearing,  upon  evidence  that  the  physical
  condition or mental incapacity of the claimant  prevented  the  claimant
  from  filing  an appeal within thirty days of the initial determination.
  Any employer whose employer account percentage might be affected by such
  determination, irrespective of whether or not such employer was a  party
  to a hearing brought hereunder, shall have free access to all records of
  any   hearing   brought   hereunder   by  any  party  relating  to  such
  determination.
    (b) When the initial determination of a claim for benefits, upon which
  a hearing has been requested, involves the question whether  any  person
  is  or  was an employer within the meaning of this article and is or was
  liable for the payment of  contributions  under  this  article,  or  the
  question  whether  an  employer  has fully complied with the obligations
  imposed by this article, written notice of the hearing shall be given to
  such persons or employer, either personally or by mail, and thereupon he
  shall be deemed a party to the proceeding, entitled to  be  heard.  Upon
  such notice having been given, the referee may then decide such question
  or questions and any other issue related thereto, and his decision shall
  not be deemed limited in its effect to the immediate claimant making the
  claim  for  benefits but shall be deemed a general determination of such
  questions with respect to all those employed by such person or  employer
  for  all  the  purposes  of  this  article,  and  such decision shall be
  conclusive and binding upon him,  subject,  however,  to  the  right  to
  appeal hereinafter provided.
    2. Contested determinations, rules, or orders. Any employer who claims
  to be aggrieved by the commissioner's determination of the amount of its
  contributions  or  by  any other rule or order of the commissioner under
  any provision of this article  may  apply  to  the  commissioner  for  a
  hearing  within thirty days after mailing or personal delivery of notice
  of such determination, rule, or order.
    3. Decisions. Every hearing as herein provided for shall be held by  a
  referee who shall render his decision within five days after the hearing
  is  concluded.  Written notice of the referee's decision, containing the
  reasons therefor, shall be promptly given to the claimant  or  employer,
  to  the  commissioner, and to any party affected thereby who appeared at
  the hearing.
    The decision of a referee shall be deemed the decision of  the  appeal
  board  from  the date of the filing thereof in the department, unless an
  appeal is taken from such decision to the board in accordance  with  the
  provisions  of  this article or unless the board on its own motion or on
  application duly made to it modify or rescind such decision.
    4. Whenever any deaf person is a party to a hearing conducted before a
  referee, or a witness thereon,  the  referee  shall  in  all  instances,
  appoint  a  qualified  interpreter  who  is  certified  by  a recognized
  national or New York state  credentialing  authority  to  interpret  the
  proceedings  to  and the testimony of such deaf person. The commissioner
  shall determine a reasonable fee for all such interpreting services, the
  cost of which shall constitute expenses under this article.