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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" citation="COMAR 09.42.04.04" title_num="09" subtitle_num="42" chapter_num="04" heading="Application Process.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Eligibility. A covered individual experiencing a qualifying event may file an application for benefits within 60 days before the anticipated start date of the leave for which benefits may be paid under this title, but not later than 60 days after the start date of the leave.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The 60 day filing deadline shall be waived for good cause, up to 1 year from the leave commencing.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>On or after the date on which applications for benefits may be submitted to the Division, applications may be accepted up to 60 days before the first day of FAMLI leave requested.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>A covered individual shall file their application with their employer’s plan.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Required Documentation.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>A claimant shall provide personal identifying information as required by the Division.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>A claimant applying for uniformed services caregiving leave shall provide documentation from the United States government establishing that the service member is a member or veteran of the uniformed services as defined in in 37 U.S.C. § 101, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>A claimant shall provide information regarding the employer from which they intend to take FAMLI leave as required by the Division.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>A claimant seeking FAMLI leave for bonding or to care for another shall provide any of the following as proof of relationship:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An affidavit signed by the claimant attesting to qualifying relationships as provided by the Division;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Copies of official orders, certifications, or registrations from a government entity; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Copies of documentation from licensed foster care and/or adoption providers.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Certification of Qualifying Event.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Care or Bonding with a Child. An application for FAMLI leave to care for or bond with a child of the claimant shall include:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>A certification of live birth;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Documentation of placement from a licensed child placement agency or government agency responsible for child placement, and documentation of any court appearances, appointments, or travel in anticipation of placement, if applicable, including a court order or an affidavit of an informal kinship care arrangement; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Other reasonable documentation determined by the Division.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Family Member’s Serious Health Condition. An application for FAMLI leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition, shall include a complete certification form, approved by the Division, from a licensed health care provider, establishing:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The first date on which the covered individual took or intends to take FAMLI leave from employment and whether the FAMLI leave will or is intended to be taken for a continuous period of time or intermittently;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Date of diagnosis;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The date on which the serious health condition of the family member commenced;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>The probable duration of the serious health condition;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>The appropriate facts related to the serious health condition within the knowledge of the licensed health care provider;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>A statement that the covered individual needs to care for a family member and an estimate of the amount of time required to provide the care; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vii)">
          <text>If intermittent FAMLI leave is requested, the expected frequency and duration of the intermittent FAMLI leave.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Own Serious Health Condition. An application for FAMLI leave for one’s own serious health condition, shall include a complete certification form, approved by the Division, from a licensed health care provider, establishing:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The first date on which the covered individual took or intends to take FAMLI leave from employment and whether the FAMLI leave will or is intended to be taken for a continuous period of time or intermittently;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>The date on which the serious health condition of the covered individual commenced;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Treatment dates;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Period of incapacity;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>The probable duration of the serious health condition;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>The appropriate facts related to the serious health condition within the knowledge of the licensed health care provider;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vii)">
          <text>A statement that the covered individual is unable to perform the functions of the covered individual’s position; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(viii)">
          <text>If intermittent FAMLI leave is requested, the expected frequency and duration of the intermittent FAMLI leave.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Uniformed Services Caregiving. An application for FAMLI leave to care for a service member for whom the claimant is next of kin with a serious health condition, shall include a complete certification form, approved by the Division, from a licensed health care provider, establishing:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>That the serious health condition was caused, or exacerbated by, uniformed service;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>The first date on which the covered individual took or intends to take FAMLI leave from employment and whether the FAMLI leave will or is intended to be taken for a continuous period of time or intermittently;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The date on which the serious health condition of the service member commenced or was exacerbated;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>The probable duration of the serious health condition;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>The appropriate facts related to the serious health condition within the knowledge of the licensed health care provider; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>If intermittent FAMLI leave is requested, a statement that the covered individual needs to care for a service member and the expected frequency and duration of the intermittent FAMLI leave.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Qualified Exigency. An application for FAMLI leave for a qualifying exigency arising out of the deployment of a service member who is a family member, shall include a copy of the family member’s active duty orders or other documentation issued by the uniformed services that indicates that the service member is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status, and the dates of the service member’s covered active duty service.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Attestations. The Division may require claimants to attest that information provided in their applications is true to the best of their knowledge and that there are no disqualifying criteria.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>Employer Response to Claim Application.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An employer shall have 5 business days to respond to notice from the Division or an EPIP of an employee’s submitted claim application.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>At the conclusion of the 5 business day period in §B(7)(a) of this regulation, if there is no employer response, the claim application is considered a complete claim application.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>At the conclusion of the 5 business day period in §B(7)(a) of this regulation, if the employer has challenged the claimant’s eligibility, the Division or EPIP shall investigate which may include a request for a response from the claimant.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>At the conclusion of the investigation in §B(7)(c) of this regulation, the claim application is considered a complete claim application.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>The Division may request supplemental data from the employer together with the notice in §B(7)(a) of this regulation.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>If the Division makes a request pursuant to §B(7)(e) of this regulation, and there is no employer response within the 5 business day period in §B(7)(a) of this regulation, the Division may proceed with estimation under COMAR 09.42.02.09C.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(g)">
        <text>If benefits are approved and issued and job and anti-retaliation protections have thus attached and an employer provides a response after the time period provided in §B(7)(a) of this regulation, the response may still be considered and if the information negates the recipient’s eligibility:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The recipient is still entitled to the benefits received;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Continuation of benefits will cease; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Job and anti-retaliation protections apply for the time period from approval of benefits to revocation of benefits.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(h)">
        <text>If FAMLI leave has been retroactively approved and additional information as described in §B(7)(e) of this regulation has been provided then any benefits issued shall be considered an overpayment and job and anti-retaliation protections may not apply.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Updating a Claim Application.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>This provision applies to applications a claimant may need to update as well as the incomplete application notification requirements in Labor and Employment Article, §8.3-703, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>A claim shall be updated within 10 days, or as soon as practicable with good cause shown, of any changes to the following information provided on an application:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Basis for leave;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Start date of leave;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Duration of leave;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>End date of leave; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Whether the claimant has begun to receive Workers’ Compensation or Unemployment Insurance benefits.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Failure to update a claim with any changes to the information provided on an application for benefits may result in a delay, underpayment, overpayment, or denial of benefits.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Cancelation of a Claim.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>If a claimant no longer requires FAMLI benefits, their application may be withdrawn.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>If the FAMLI leave period has already commenced, the total amount of FAMLI leave actually taken, not the total amount applied for, will be assessed against the claimant’s FAMLI leave balance for the application year.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>