Audits - UI Benefit Payment Control (BPC) - Unemployment Insurance
The Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance conducts random audits to verify that claimants are eligible for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. These audits include the Maryland State Directory of New Hires program, the National Directory of New Hires program, the Wage Crossmatch audit and audits instigated due to reports of fraud.
The Wage Crossmatch is a quarterly audit that matches earnings reported by Maryland employers with claimants (individuals who have filed for and received unemployment insurance benefits). Employers are sent employment and wage verification requests. Information is matched for any weeks in which UI benefits were claimed and paid.
If the audit reveals that a claimant did not report or underreported wages earned during the same weeks that they claimed UI benefits, the Division will determine that some or all of the claimant’s UI benefits were overpaid. The claimant is responsible for repaying any overpaid UI benefits, with interest and penalty fees. Additionally, it may be determined that fraud was committed. If a claimant quit or was terminated from this employer, the Division will adjudicate the issue with the claimant’s separation from employment. This may result in additional overpaid weeks of UI benefits.