(a) The hearing, when conducted by an employee of the Office appointed by the Director to serve as hearing officer, shall not be conducted according to technical rules relating to evidence and witnesses. Any relevant evidence shall be admitted if it is the sort of evidence on which responsible persons are accustomed to rely in the conduct of serious affairs.

(b) When the hearing is conducted by an employee of the Office, the hearing shall be recorded by a tape recording, unless the appellant agrees to provide a certified shorthand reporter at the appellant's expense. If the appellant provides a certified shorthand reporter, the original of the transcript shall be provided directly to the Office.

(c) A copy of the tape recording or of the transcript, if made, shall be available to any person so requesting who has deposited with the Office an amount of money which the Director has determined to be sufficient to cover the costs of the copy of the tape recording or transcript.