All employees are covered by the Maryland Unemployment Compensation Law.[1] When the Town receives claim forms from the State of Maryland Department of Employment Security, they will be completed in accordance with state procedure for unemployment compensation claims. Payment depends upon the reason for unemployment.
[1]
Editor's Note: See the Labor and Employment Article, § 8-101 et seq., of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
A. 
All employees absent from duty because of a job-related illness or accident incurred on the job which qualifies for worker's compensation will be covered by the Town's worker's compensation policy. Worker's compensation payments will accrue to the employee after the employee has been out of work for more than 72 hours. For those employees who require more than 72 hours' absence from work and are placed under the Town's worker's compensation policy, they will be required to make direct payments to the Town to continue their benefits that are normally covered through payroll deduction. The cost for continuation of health insurance benefits will be the employee's share only. Those employees who require less than 72 hours' absence from work will be placed under occupational leave and normal employment benefits will continue to accrue. Employees on worker's compensation shall not accrue retirement benefits but shall continue to accrue leave for a maximum of 180 calendar days. The 180 calendar days shall commence with the first day compensated by the worker's compensation carrier. If, on the 181st day, the employee is still out on worker's compensation, leave accrual will cease, regardless of whether or not the employee returned to work during the one-hundred-eighty-day period. Only in the event of different injuries or incidents will the employee be entitled to another one-hundred-eighty-calendar-day period of leave-earning eligibility.
B. 
Pending a decision on whether the illness or accident qualified under the Town's worker's compensation policy, the employee must request to use leave. If the illness or accident qualifies under the Town's worker's compensation policy, leave assessed during the review period will be reimbursed and the first 72 hours will then be charged to occupational leave, during which normal employment benefits will continue to accrue.
C. 
Once approved, worker's compensation covers subsequent absences and qualifying related payments for procedures on a case-by-case basis.