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<chapter num="05" heading="Uninsured Employers' Fund Claims" title_num="14" subtitle_num="09">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Notification and Response of Uninsured Employer and Claimant.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>If a workers’ compensation claim is received by the Commission and the Commission’s records indicate that the employer is uninsured, the Commission shall notify the employer of the claim by sending the employer:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>A notice of the claim form;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>An uninsured employer's questionnaire; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>A request for verification of the employer's workers' compensation insurance policy.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>The Commission shall send a copy of the notice of the claim form to all parties of record.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>Within 21 days of the date the notice of the claim form was sent by the Commission:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>The uninsured employer shall:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>Begin paying temporary total benefits; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>File a response to employee’s claim form, if the employer contests the claim; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>File one of the following:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>The signed and completed uninsured employer's questionnaire; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>The verification of the employer's workers' compensation insurance policy, if applicable.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="D.">
      <text>Within 21 days of the date the Commission sends the notice of the claim form to the parties of record, the claimant shall complete and file the claimant’s questionnaire in accordance with COMAR 14.09.02.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Review of Claim Contested by Uninsured Employer.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>The Commission shall set a hearing to review any claim contested by an uninsured employer pursuant to Regulation .01C of this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Upon completion of the hearing the Commission shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Dismiss the claim; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Issue an award requiring that the appropriate compensation be paid by the uninsured employer to the claimant.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Review of Uncontested Claims.">
    <text>If an uninsured employer does not contest the claim by filing the response to employee’s claim form within 21 days after the Commission served the notice of the claim form to the employer, the Commission may:</text>
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Review the claim for legal sufficiency; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Either:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Dismiss the claim; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Issue an automatic award finding the claim compensable.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" heading="Notification and Payment of the Award.">
    <text>The uninsured employer shall pay an award issued under Regulation .02 or .03 of this chapter within 30 days of the date the Commission serves notice of the award to the parties in accordance with Labor and Employment Article, §9-1002, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".05" heading="Request for Payment by the Fund.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>If the uninsured employer fails to pay an award and does not file for review of the award, the claimant may:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Send a request for payment, and a copy of claimant's questionnaire to the UEF; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Contemporaneously file a copy of the request for payment and the claimant's questionnaire with the Commission.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>No action will be taken against an employer or the UEF if the request for payment and the claimant's questionnaire are not filed with the Commission.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".06" heading="Response of UEF and Impleader of Other Employer or Insurer.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Within 21 days after the date claimant filed a copy of the request for payment and claimant's questionnaire, the UEF shall respond by:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Paying the award; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Filing issues.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>If the UEF raises issues of statutory employment, or the existence of another employer or insurer, the UEF shall implead the employer and the insurer, if known.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".07" heading="Notification and Response of Impleaded Employer or Insurer.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>If the UEF impleads an employer or insurer the Commission shall serve the impleaded party a copy of the notice of the claim form.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>The impleaded party shall respond within 21 days after the date of the notice referred to in §A of this regulation, by:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Paying the award; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Filing issues.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".08" heading="Review of Disputed Claim.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>If the UEF or an impleaded party disputes a claim under Regulation .06 or .07 of this chapter, the Commission shall set a hearing to review the claims of all parties on all issues.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Upon completion of the hearing, the Commission shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Dismiss the claim; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Issue an award.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">Labor and Employment Article, §§9-309, 9-6A-04, 9-6A-07, and 9-1002, Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: June 11, 2001 (28:11 Md. R. 1053)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Chapter revised and recodified from COMAR 14.09.07, Uninsured Employer's Fund Claims, to COMAR 14.09.05, Uninsured Employer's Fund Claims, effective March 3, 2014 (41:4 Md. R. 305)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01 amended effective October 18, 2021 (48:21 Md. R. 890)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .03 amended effective October 18, 2021 (48:21 Md. R. 890)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .07A amended effective October 18, 2021 (48:21 Md. R. 890)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>