State of Maryland

An Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Manager, Lead is the lead level of work enforcing collection of delinquent Maryland Unemployment Insurance taxes from employers.   Employees in this classification perform work that involves the preparation of all legal documents and correspondence pertaining to the conduct of various court cases.  Employees in this classification assign, review, and approve the work and train lower-level Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Managers and other lower-level clerical or legal positions.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an administrative supervisor.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing 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 Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Manager, Lead is differentiated from the Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Manager II in that the Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Manager, Lead assigns, reviews, and approves the work and trains lower-level Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Managers while the Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Manager II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Assigns, reviews, and approves the work of lower-level Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Managers;

Provides guidance to lower-level Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Managers regarding actions the Agency should take on complicated cases;

Trains and assists new employees performing Unemployment Insurance Legal Case Manager duties, to encompass all phases of legal collections work;

Assists supervisor and assistant supervisor in special projects assigned to the unit;

Assists in the planning and implementing of new methods and systems for the most efficient collection of delinquent taxes;

Ensures that pleadings, affidavits, subpoenas and other legal documents and correspondence pertaining to the conduct of court cases are current and maintained;

Reviews new assessments to determine appropriate legal action including recording of liens, coding, and issuing Writs of Execution in order to levy on chattels of the delinquent taxpayer;

Researches and recommends garnishment proceedings on bank accounts, contracts and salaries of delinquent taxpayers;

Prevents revivals of forfeited corporate charters; Issues subpoenas for delinquent employers and their records, and conducts administrative hearings with employers for information useful in effecting collection;

Renders determinations of accuracy, validity and legality of assessments in response to appeals by employers and their representatives;

Approves adjustments and recommendations regarding liability of employer accounts;

Reviews, approves and forwards instructions from Unemployment Insurance Specialists, Collection Agents, and Auditors regarding opening and closing of employer accounts, adjusting quarterly reports, name and address changes to Employer Status Unit for data entry on automated tax system;

Prepares injunction proceedings against employers to enjoin and restrain them from operation of their businesses as long as the taxes remain due;

Negotiates and recommends payment agreements with employers; monitors compliance with any settlement terms;

Corresponds with employers, their representatives or attorneys regarding account dollar amounts, payment of applicable taxes, and to resolve disputes with tact and courtesy;

Interprets history of the account, including computer records, and educates taxpayer or representative regarding their liability;

Reviews, approves and forwards instructions regarding the application of payments received to Internal Audits Unit for data entry on automated tax system;

Researches and responds to notices of foreclosures and public auction sales;

Checks periodically on the status of foreclosure proceedings for adjustment or distribution of surplus proceeds;

Evaluates and refers cases for annual listing of corporate charter forfeiture requests for enforcement action;

Issues appropriate “Releases of Tax Lien” for cases after review of facts and governing law and regulations;

Reviews legal references and other sources in order to verify that legal citations and references are accurate and complete;

Refers cases and briefs to Attorney in Litigation and Prosecution Unit within the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Division for potential court appearance;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of general business laws;

Knowledge of current legal documentation requirements for the purpose of recording of liens, preparation of Writs of Execution, garnishment proceedings, the revival of forfeited corporate charters;

Knowledge of legal terminology and its proper use;

Skill in making determinations regarding the proper legal process to apply along with the proper current legal documentation;

Skill in verifying legal citations and references;

Skill in maintaining case files, schedules and logs;

Skill in applying policies and precedent cases in making decisions;

Skill in the use of standard office equipment, such as fax machine, photocopier, calculator, personal computer, printer;

Ability to learn and apply current and new computer applications and computer systems;

Ability to maintain the confidentiality of case files, all associated records, and any other evidence;

Ability to effectively communicate with Attorneys, external clients, the general public and co-workers;

Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work assignments under strict time constraints;

Ability to give instructions;

Ability to train others.

Experience: Five years of experience in debt collection of delinquent taxes for unemployment insurance contributions, or in debt collection, or as a paralegal or legal assistant performing legal research and preparing legal documents on behalf of an Attorney.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute an additional four years of experience as a Legal Assistant or Legal Secretary performing legal research or preparing legal documents on behalf of an Attorney on a year-for-year basis for a high school education.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of an Associate of Arts degree from an accredited college or university in paralegal studies to include a minimum of  three credit hours in legal research, business law, or tax law and three years of experience in debt collection of delinquent taxes for unemployment insurance contributions, or in debt collection, or as a paralegal or legal assistant performing legal research and preparing legal documents on behalf of an Attorney for the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of six credit hours in legal research, business law, or tax laws and practices for three years of the required experience.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in paralegal specialist classification or paralegal specialist specialty codes in the legal and kindred field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience. 

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various 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.