State of Maryland

ASTD17

SKILLED SERVICE BARGAINING UNIT: F OVERTIME ELIGIBLE

A Disability Claims Technical Examiner is the advanced level of work in the Disability Determination Services office in the Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Rehabilitation Services. Employees in this classification apply federal regulations and prepare determinations of eligibility for Social Security benefits; provide technical guidance in specialized disability or program areas to other vocational rehabilitation staff, State departments, community organizations and the general public.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Disability Claims Examiner Supervisor or other designated administrator.

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 a class specification.

The Disability Claims Technical Examiner is differentiated from the Disability Claims Examiner II in that the Disability Claims Technical Examiner functions as a technical specialist in medical or vocational aspects in the disability program areas while the Disability Claims Examiner II adjudicates all levels of claims, performing the full range of duties under general supervision. The Disability Claims Technical Examiner is differentiated from the Disability Claims Examiner Supervisor in that the Disability Claims Examiner Supervisor has full supervisory responsibility for a unit of lower-level Disability Claims Examiners and support staff.

Provides support and technical guidance in a disability determination services specialty area to other Disability Claims Examiners.

Provides orientation and in-service training of Disability Claims Examiners I & II by providing technical information in a specialized area of disability determination services;

Conducts quality reviews of work in a specialized area of disability determination services;
Applies the policies, procedures, laws, regulations and directives governing the provision of disability determination services;

Reviews applications for disability determination programs;

Establishes a plan for the development and adjudication of individual claims for Social Security Disability Benefits and Supplemental Security Income;

Evaluates medical and vocational evidence based on established federal criteria to determine degree and severity of a disability;

Responds to inquiries from the public;

Interprets medical evidence in consultation with medical and psychiatric staff;

Determines need for medical, psychological or vocational evaluations and manages a budget for consultative examinations;

Determines the rationale justifying the award or denial of Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income Benefits;

Prepares determinations of eligibility for disability programs including evaluation of medical and vocational evidence based on established criteria to determine degree and severity of a disability;

Uses electronic software to review and process disability claims;

Performs other related duties.

Education: Possession of a Bachelor's degree.

Experience: Two years of professional experience in the adjudication or processing of Social Security disability claims.

Class descriptions broadly define 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 F, Social and Human Service Professionals 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.

May 21, 2024

Director, Division of Classification and Salary