WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 883

or more employers with different rates of contribution, his
rate from the date the transfer occurred through the next
June 30 shall be a recomputed rate based on the combined
experience of his predecessors as of the regular computation
date for the fiscal year in which the transfer occurred.

In all cases, from and after July 1 following the transfer,
the successor's rate of contribution for each fiscal year shall
be based on his experience with pay rolls and benefits com-
bined with the experience of his predecessor or predecessors, as
of the regular computation date for that fiscal year. A suc-
cessor employer shall be deemed to have met the requirements
of sub-section (c) (3) of this Section if he or any one of his
predecessors has had the 36-month experience with benefit
charges and the 4-year experience with pay rolls which is
required by sub-section (c) (3).

(6) No employer's rate shall be varied from the 2.7 per
cent rate, for any fiscal year unless, as of the preceding
March 31 the total amount available for benefits in the Mary-
land unemployment fund equals or exceeds 5% of the total
annual payrolls subject to contributions that were paid by all
employers during the previous calendar year.

(7) For the purposes of the experience rating provisions of
this sub-section, an employer's account shall not be charged
and no portion of the wages paid to any individual shall be
determined to be the employee's or employer's benefit wages
for any benefit year or base period, if such individual left the
service of the employer voluntarily without good cause attrib-
utable to his employer; or if such individual left or was sus-
pended from the service of the employer by reason of any occur-
rence for which he was or might have been disqualified for
benefits under the provisions of Section 5 of this Article.

(8) As used in this sub-section.

(i) The term "fiscal year" means the twelve-month period
from July 1 of each year through June 30 of the next year.

(ii) The term "computation date" with respect to rates
of contribution for any fiscal year means March 31 of the
preceding fiscal year.

(iii) The term "annual pay roll" means the total amount
of wages for employment paid by an employer within any
calendar year with respect to which contributions have been
paid on or before the computation date.

(iv) The term "principal base period employer" means the
employer by whom an individual was paid the largest amount
of his base period wages.