State of Maryland

An Unemployment Insurance Associate II is the intermediate level of paraprofessional work in Unemployment Insurance involving responsibility for making minor determination of eligibility under the Maryland Unemployment Law or under special or temporary programs. Employees in this classification may be responsible for rendering determinations involving Unemployment Insurance Claims of a less complex but disputed nature, such as disputed claims, appeals and overpayments. Employees in this classification must exercise judgment within the framework of the law and the technical guidance of the supervisor or an Unemployment Insurance Specialist. Employees in this classification must have, or gain, a thorough knowledge of the law in order to arrive at decisions or to interpret particular elements of the law to claimants, employers and other interested parties. Employees in this classification, additionally, must exercise tact and integrity in dealings with a wide variety of people from different economic and social backgrounds. Employees in this classification may receive training in and perform the duties of the next higher grade and may at times involve a combination of the duties of this class and lower classes. Employees in this classification assigned to county local offices may perform Employment Service work as an incidental duty. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions but may provide some guidance to less experienced Unemployment Insurance Aides and assigned clerical workers.

Employees in this classification receive moderate supervision from an Unemployment Insurance Associate Supervisor or other designated supervisory personnel. Work effectiveness is determined through review of work assignment and evaluation of satisfactory handling of claims.

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 Associate I, Unemployment Insurance Associate II, and Unemployment Insurance Associate III are differentiated on the basis of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees. The Unemployment Insurance Associate I performs duties under close supervision. The Unemployment Insurance Associate II performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed. The Unemployment Insurance Associate III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Interviews claimants for Unemployment Insurance to obtain and record necessary routine information, to include disputed eligibility status, pension payments and sick claims;

Explains and informally interprets laws governing Unemployment Insurance, to employers, claimants and others within the meaning of the law which includes inquiries by telephone and correspondence related to general eligibility, appeal requests and procedures, severance and holiday pay, return to work confirmation, etc.;

Obtains work and wage information from claimants and/or employers to establish an earnings record in case of complicated disputed claims;

Refers questionable cases of a highly complex nature (most probably leading to a major non-monetary determination) to an Unemployment Insurance Specialist for an intensive fact-finding interview;

Determines monetary eligibility of full-time students earning wages in a part-time or temporary capacity;

Performs the routine periodic interview involving availability for, ability to, and job search for work, especially for claimants who are job or labor market attached;

Conducts group benefit rights interview (B.R.I.) advising claimants of their rights and responsibilities under the law, to include the supplemental interview for ex-federal employees and former military personnel;

Makes minor non-monetary determinations of out-of-state claims based on information received from the agent state;

May represent the Employment Security Administration at Referee, Appeal Board and other internal hearings, to explain factual information;

May assist in technical guidance and training of subordinate personnel, including intermittent help;

May prepare determinations on disputed claims, appeals and over-payments;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of business English and arithmetic;

Knowledge of Unemployment Insurance laws, rules and regulations;

Knowledge of the elementary environmental and cultural factors influencing the behavior of individuals applying for Unemployment Insurance benefits;

Knowledge of introductory interviewing techniques;

Ability to interview, evaluate facts and draw valid conclusions from documentary evidence;

Ability to exercise sound and impartial judgment in analyzing information and making decisions;

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

Ability to use tact and discretion in dealing with the public;

Ability to organize daily work plans;

Ability to present ideas.

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

Experience: Two Years of general clerical or call center experience working with the public directly.

Notes:

1. Applicants may substitute general clerical or call center experience, for the required education at the rate of one year of experience for one year of education.

2. Applicants may substitute 30 credit hours at an accredited college or university for one year 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.

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 the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.

March 25, 2024