How to hire a hearing officer

How to hire a hearing officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step hearing officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a hearing officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new hearing officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a hearing officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a hearing officer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A hearing officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, hearing officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of hearing officers.

   Type of Hearing Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Hearing Officer	Judges and hearing officers apply the law by overseeing the legal process in courts. They also conduct pretrial hearings, resolve administrative disputes, facilitate negotiations between opposing parties, and issue legal decisions.	$20-44

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Documentary Evidence
   • Legal Research
   • Appeals
   • Due Process
   • Conduct Hearings
   • Subpoenas
   • Social Security
   • Law Enforcement
   • State Laws
   • Hearing Process
   • Federal Laws
   • Research Laws
   • District Court
   • Hearing Decisions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Brief patients on test about to be perform explained test results and make follow up appointments as needed.
   • Perform professional, quasi-judicial work conducting hearings and preparing recommend decisions on child support establishment, enforcement and modification appeals.
   • Perform quasi-judicial duties presiding over unemployment insurance administrative hearings to decide appeals alleging a full array of employer-employee misconduct and grievances.
   • Prepare and update litigation files for review board hearings.
   • Assist in mediation, perform case reviews and other legal tasks.
   • Research precedent cases and applicable law to aid in mediation process.

   More hearing officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your hearing officer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A hearing officer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, hearing officers' average salary in mississippi is 52% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level hearing officers 53% less than senior-level hearing officers.
   • Certifications. A hearing officer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a hearing officer's salary.

   Average hearing officer salary

   $63,003yearly

   $30.29 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level hearing officer salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average hearing officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$88,797	$43
   2	Maryland	$87,565	$42
   3	New York	$82,419	$40
   4	Montana	$79,762	$38
   5	New Jersey	$75,773	$36
   6	Colorado	$75,000	$36
   7	Arizona	$71,104	$34
   8	North Carolina	$64,939	$31
   9	Indiana	$64,459	$31
   10	Florida	$59,414	$29
   11	Nebraska	$58,357	$28
   12	Missouri	$55,364	$27
   13	Texas	$53,447	$26
   14	California	$52,850	$25
   15	Arkansas	$49,187	$24
   16	North Dakota	$47,286	$23
   17	Utah	$46,611	$22

   Average hearing officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Colorado State Express	$69,359	$33.35
   2	State of North Dakota	$68,979	$33.16	2
   3	Superior Court Of California	$68,085	$32.73
   4	Crystal Stairs	$66,970	$32.20	1
   5	NJ Transit	$65,611	$31.54
   6	My Florida Regional Mls	$65,290	$31.39
   7	Washington State University	$64,166	$30.85
   8	Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City	$62,441	$30.02	1
   9	New York State Restaurant Association	$62,377	$29.99
   10	City of Baltimore	$61,732	$29.68	11
   11	The GEO Group	$59,991	$28.84	109
   12	City of Austin	$56,666	$27.24	1
   13	Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania	$55,028	$26.46	28
   14	Florida Department of Transportation	$54,210	$26.06
   15	City of Somerville	$53,833	$25.88	1
   16	S.C. Department of Commerce	$52,779	$25.37
   17	NC.gov	$51,742	$24.88	92
   18	Indiana State Police	$51,068	$24.55	29
   19	State Of Florida	$50,585	$24.32	220
   20	State Of Montana	$49,721	$23.90	26

4. Writing a hearing officer job description

   A hearing officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a hearing officer job description:

   Hearing officer job description example

   * Provide interpretation, advice and counsel to all employees by responding to telephone, email, and in-person inquiries to assist with HCM related programs, processes and procedures
   
   * Listen to employee concerns as a neutral third party and attempt to resolve employee conflicts at the lowest possible level
   
   * Conduct conflict resolution/mediation sessions to resolve department, campus and/or individual issues
   
   * Provide an avenue for employees to express concerns; and assists individuals with exploring and developing alternatives to addressing institutional related interpersonal conflicts, disagreements and organizational complaints in an informal setting
   * Investigate issues, and assists the complainant with the steps necessary for resolution
   * Review and investigate employee complaints in order to resolve issues prior to moving forward to the grievance process
   * Review employee complaints and grievances for clear policy violations and forward to appropriate administrator or department for action
   * Hear and evaluate testimony and evidence, neutrally to determine case facts for grievance administration (on issues related to performance appraisals, discipline/termination, and other terms/conditions of employment
   * Provide information and assistance to individuals regaring issues of bullying and professional conduct
   * Render appropriate written decisions for grievances in a fast-paced, highly complex and diverse environment
   * Design, communicate, implement, administer and monitor training, programs and projects to ensure compliance, track operational efficiency and identify opportunities for improvements
   * Partner with HCM leaders and leaders across the district to jointly develop, recommend and/or amend policies, regulations, processes and tools
   * Assist with designing and developing a variety of reports, analysis, and presentations for senior management, aligning department initiatives with district's goals and objectives
   * Benchmark effectiveness of HCM efforts and programs and ensure best practices are implemented by staying informed of leading trends and issues
   * Perform all other tasks and duties as assigned
   * Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related field (or Bachelor's degree in another field with commensurate HR experience)
   * Previous school district experience preferably in the state of Texas
   * Seven (7) years of directly-related experience (human resources, employee relations, labor relations, mediation/conflict resolution, Title IX, EEO)
   * Strong analytical, investigative, conflict resolution, and critical thinking skills to apply logic to complex matters and render written decisions supported by evidence and aligned with District policy/ goals
   * Ability to demonstrate excellence in English writing
   * Decisive self-starter who exercises good judgment
   * Ability to demonstrate a strategic, consultative approach to resolving HCM related issues within employee relations
   * Proven ability to present a positive image for the district, maintain professional demeanor, provide effective customer service and make good decisions
   * Knowledge of current rules, policies, regulations, laws, principles, and practices related to human resources
   * Knowledge of current and emerging legislation, issues, and trends as appropriate to Title IX and EEOAbility to safeguard sensitive and confidential information from intentional or unintentional disclosure
   * Ability to organize and coordinate multiple tasks and to work under time pressure to meet deadlines
   * Proven proficient skills in using Microsoft Office Professional and other HR software
   * Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and written, at all levels including the Board

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right hearing officer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with hearing officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit hearing officers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your hearing officer job on Zippia to find and recruit hearing officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit hearing officers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new hearing officer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the hearing officer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a hearing officer?