State of Maryland

An Assistant to the Commissioner Trainee Workers' Compensation Commission is the entry level of work providing paralegal support to a Workers' Compensation Commissioner in the review, adjudication and processing of contested workers' compensation claims.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Workers' Compensation Commissioner.

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.

The Assistant to the Commissioner Trainee Workers' Compensation Commission, Assistant to the Commissioner I Workers' Compensation Commission and Assistant to the Commissioner II Workers' Compensation Commission are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Assistant to the Commissioner Trainee Workers' Compensation Commission learns to performs duties under close supervision.  The Assistant to the Commissioner I Workers' Compensation Commission performs duties under close supervision at times and general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Assistant to the Commissioner II Workers' Compensation Commission performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to provide paralegal support to a Workers' Compensation Commissioner;

Learns to research and interpret workers' compensation laws and regulations in order to provide a Commissioner with relevant information needed for the adjudication of workers' compensation claims;

Learns to examine case documents for legal sufficiency prior to the hearing of a workers' compensation claim and examine and verify medical bills for completeness and accuracy;

Learns to coordinate the flow of legal documents and information between other divisions of the Workers' Compensation Commission and a Commissioner;

Learns to calculate and compose Awards of Compensation by computing permissible benefits, examining and verifying medical bills submitted and computing counsel fee petitions;

Learns to prepare and keyboard various orders resulting from hearing decisions of a Commissioner;

Learns to obtain information and answer inquiries by claimants, insurance representatives, Attorneys, employers and other persons;

Learns to examine Compromise and Settlement Agreements in order to insure accuracy of information and documentation filed;

Learns to review Lump Sum Applications, determine balance of compensation to be awarded and recommend approval or disapproval to a Commissioner;

Learns to prepare proposed stipulations in correct legal form, recommend acceptance or rejection, and return improperly filed stipulations with instructions for appropriate action;

Learns to prepare itinerary and expense accounts, coordinate and schedule appointments, conferences, conference calls and special hearings for a Commissioner;

Learns to review requests for postponement of cases set for hearing, change of venue or emergency hearings and recommends action to a Commissioner;

Learns to call docket in hearing room, authorizes continuance of cases, record stipulations and official filing of documents for a Commissioner's file when acting as a Commissioner's representative;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of business mathematics, business English, spelling, punctuation and grammar;

Skill in keyboarding at a minimum speed of forty words per minute;

Ability to learn the policies, procedures and governing laws and regulations concerning the adjudication of workers' compensation claims;

Ability to learn legal terminology and its proper usage;

Ability to learn to keyboard legal documents and correspondence; Ability to learn to research and interpret workers' compensation laws and regulations;

Ability to learn to calculate and compose Awards of Compensation;

Ability to learn to review supportive documentation in a workers' compensation claim for conformity to law, regulations and policies;

Ability to maintain case files and schedules;

Ability to prepare and present recommendations and information clearly and concisely;

Ability to maintain the confidentiality of case files, records and testimony;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Commissioners, Attorneys, agency staff, claimants and the general public;

Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work;

Ability to exercise initiative and sound judgment in executing work assignments.

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

Experience: One year of clerical experience involving the review or processing of workers' compensation claims.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute additional clerical experience as defined above on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Paralegal Specialist classifications or Paralegal Specialist specialty codes in the Legal and Kindred field of work involving workers’ compensation claims 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 not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

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 level 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 by 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.