(1) One or more prehearing conferences may be required and conducted by an ALJ before a hearing. A prehearing conference may be set on the initiative of the ALJ or upon request of a party.

(2) OAH will send notice of the time and date of a prehearing conference to all parties and their representatives at least seven business days before the date of the prehearing conference except when:

(a) An ALJ converts a scheduled hearing into a prehearing conference; or

(b) The only purpose of the prehearing conference is to consider whether there is good cause to grant a continuance under WAC 110-03-0250.

(3) The ALJ must reschedule the hearing if necessary to comply with the prehearing notice requirement.

(4) An ALJ may conduct the prehearing conference in person, by telephone conference call, by electronic means, or in any other manner acceptable to the parties.

(5) Attendance by the parties and their representatives at all scheduled prehearing conferences is mandatory. A party may lose the right to participate during the hearing if that party or that party's representative does not attend the prehearing conferences. A party's appeal may be dismissed if a party or that party's representative did not attend the prehearing conferences.

(6) Additional prehearing conferences may be requested by the parties or set by the ALJ to address procedural or other issues specific to the case.