An employee who has attained tenure or nonprobationary status and has been denied a hearing before an employer subject to the requirements of this chapter may appeal for relief directly to the Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Office of Administrative Hearings, Division of Administrative Law Judges, Office of the Attorney General. The chief administrative law judge shall appoint an administrative law judge to address the issues raised in the appeal. The appeal shall state facts sufficient to allow the judge to determine tentatively whether or not the employer has complied with this chapter in failing to accord the employee a hearing. The employer may answer or deny in writing the facts set out in the employee appeal and, if the employer fails to do so, the facts set out in the appeal shall be taken as true. The judge shall review the request of the employee and the answer or denial of the employer and shall determine, with or without a hearing, whether or not the employer has complied with this chapter in denying the employee a hearing as provided in this chapter. Based upon his or her findings, the judge shall either order a hearing before the employer or sustain the action taken by the employer. Any petition or application for judicial relief from the decision of the administrative law judge shall be filed in the circuit court of the county in which the principal administrative offices of the employer are located.