(1) All hearings and interviews will be scheduled telephonically, unless the hearing is required by law to be in person or an in-person hearing is requested in accordance with subsection (2) of this section.

(2) The petitioner or petitioner's legal representative may request that all or part of the hearing or interview be conducted in person. Such a request must be in writing stating the reasons and be directed to the assigned hearings examiner upon receipt of the hearing notice. The hearings examiner will have the sole discretion to grant or deny this request.