State of Maryland

A Contributions Associate, Lead is the lead level of work communicating with employers to gather facts and information regarding their liability to pay Unemployment Insurance Tax, entering data into employers’ accounts, and maintaining unemployment insurance accounts in the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Division, Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.   Employees in this classification assign, review, and approve the work of and train lower-level Contributions Associates.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Contributions Specialist Supervisor or other designated supervisory personnel.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Contributions Associate, Lead is differentiated from the Contributions Associate II in that the Contributions Associate, Lead assigns, reviews, and approves the work of and trains lower-level Contributions Associates, while the Contributions Associate II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Assigns, reviews and approves the work of lower-level Contributions Associates;

Trains lower-level Contributions Associates;

Provides advice, guidance, direction and assistance to lower-level Contributions Associates depending upon specific needs;

Initiates and receives inquiries by telephone, fax, and correspondence to communicate with employers and employer representatives to gather facts and information regarding their liability to pay Unemployment Insurance Tax following the Maryland Unemployment Insurance Law, Code of Maryland Regulations Title 9, Subtitle 32, Federal Employment Laws, and established federal and state standards, procedures, rules and regulations;

Gathers tax and wage information from employers to be used to establish liability under Maryland Unemployment Insurance Law;

Enters data into employers’ accounts;

Prepares and maintains documents to open and close employer accounts, and to record changes in name and liability;

May review and make determinations regarding disputed tax amounts;

May examine, research and resolve employer protest and delinquency notices;

May receive, research and respond to employer inquiries regarding Experience Rate charges to their account;

May assist employers in completing the Quarterly Unemployment Insurance Contribution Report;

May give technical advice to employers and employer representatives regarding benefit charges to the employer account;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of English, spelling, punctuation, grammar and basic arithmetic;

Knowledge of federal and Maryland Unemployment Insurance laws, rules, regulations and the Code of Maryland Regulations Title 9, Subtitle 32;

Skill in the application of Maryland Unemployment Insurance Law, standards, procedures, rules and regulations; Skill in preparing reports and communications;

Skill in performing basic arithmetic computations;

Skill in the use of standard office equipment, such as fax machines, photocopiers, calculators, personal computer, printers;

Ability to assign, review, and approve the work of and train lower-level Contributions Associates;

Ability to interview employers or authorized representatives of employers, evaluate facts, and draw valid conclusions from documentary evidence and to exercise sound and impartial judgment in analyzing information and making decisions;

Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external clients;

Ability to exercise tact, integrity, and discretion in dealing with a wide variety of people from various economic and social backgrounds;

Ability to establish and maintain effective and harmonious working relationships with the general public, employers, and co-workers;

Ability to organize daily work plans; Ability to learn and apply new computer applications and computer systems;

Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school, or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Three years of experience gathering information used to render determinations related to unemployment insurance contributions or unemployment insurance claims.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute four years of general clerical experience on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Internal Review classifications or Auditing specialty codes in the Financial or Auditing fields of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various Maryland State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit B, Administrative, Technical and Clerical classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation. An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.