State of Maryland

An Unemployment Insurance Specialist II is the intermediate level of quasi-legal work in Unemployment Insurance involving the detailed examination, technical development and adjudication of claims for benefits, or the investigation of claims as authorized by the Maryland Unemployment Insurance Law, assuring due process both to claimant and employer and the payment of benefits when due.  Employees in this classification, as first-line adjudicators of the Unemployment Insurance Law of Maryland, are responsible for obtaining and evaluating facts pertinent to an alleged disqualifying issue and preparing a decision justifying the determination.  Employees in this classification arrive at determinations independently but in conformity with Unemployment Insurance laws, rules, policies, procedures and precedents.  Employees in this classification are required, upon request, to provide informal interpretations of the Unemployment Insurance Law to unions, employers, Attorneys, and community groups.  Employees’ in this classification effectiveness in the work demands the exercise of independent judgment in the application of the laws and tact in dealing with the general public.  Employees in this classification, when it is determined upon receipt of information from claimant and employer that there appears to be a questionable issue on conflict, will refer the claimant to a higher level Unemployment Insurance Specialist for scheduling a predetermination hearing.   Employees in this classification assigned to local county offices may perform work in Employment Service as an incidental duty.  Employees in this classification may adjudicate claims pertaining to federal and Veterans claims, or benefits under special or temporary programs.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions but may provide some technical guidance to less experienced employees in the Unemployment Insurance Division.

Employees in this classification receive general direction and review from an Unemployment Insurance Specialist Supervisor or Office Manager or other designated supervisory personnel. Work is evaluated in terms of the quality, timeliness and effectiveness of services rendered.  Employees receive training in and occasionally perform the duties of the next higher grade.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by 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.

Obtains factual information from claimants and employers in order to determine eligibility or disqualification issues for Unemployment Insurance benefits;

Prepares statement concerning pertinent facts obtained, and the justification, citing the legal basis for the determination; Notifies employers and claimants of determinations;

Makes determinations of claims involving multiple issues, groups of claimants, or labor disputes;

Conducts information interview with ex-servicepersons, advising them of their rights and responsibilities under the applicable public law;

Represents the Employment Security Administration at referee, appeal board, or Court hearings to explain factual information;

Explains and informally interprets laws governing Unemployment Insurance to employers, claimants and others as authorized within the meaning of the law;

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

Initiates appropriate action when fraud is suspected;

Conducts investigations and makes determinations on suspected fraudulent claims and/or overpayments;

Determines disqualifications of a claim and when necessary, penalties to be imposed;

Assists in training subordinates;

May take and/or process claims as necessary;

May process, review, and make determinations regarding sick claims;

May give technical guidance to subordinate personnel in local offices and itinerant points;

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

Performs other related duties.

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

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of business organization and procedures;

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of current national and local social and economic problems;

Knowledge, at the introductory level, of the programs and services of the Employment Service Division including the problems of workforce utilization;

Knowledge, at the introductory level, of the related basic principles of economics, sociology, psychology and personnel administration;

Ability to analyze and evaluate facts, evidence and precedents 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, legal counsel and co-workers;

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

Ability to organize daily work plans;

Ability to present ideas effectively;

Ability to participate in directing and training subordinates;

Ability to function independently.

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 G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes. As provided by 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.