1520                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                       CH. 744

36(8) thereof, TO PROVIDE FOR VOCATIONAL REHABILI-
TATION FOR INJURED EMPLOYEES AND to provide for
maintenance of employees during the time of their physical or
vocational rehabilitation, and establishing a maximum payment to
be allowed.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 36(9) be and it is hereby added to Article 101 of
the Annotated Code of Maryland (1964 Replacement Volume and
1967 Supplement), title "Workmen's Compensation," subtitle "Claims
and Compensation; Benefits," to follow immediately after Section
36 (8) thereof, and to read as follows :

36.

(9) (a) When as the result of an injury, an employee is dis-
abled from performing work for which he was previously qualified, he
shall be entitled to such vocational rehabilitation as may be reason-
ably necessary to restore him to suitable employment. It shall be
the duty of the commission to refer the employee to an appropriate
rehabilitation evaluation agency for evaluation of the practicabil-
ity of, need for, and kind of training necessary and appropriate
to render the employee fit for a remunerative occupation. Vocational
rehabilitation training shall not extend for a period of more than
fifty two (52) weeks TWENTY-FOUR (24) MONTHS.

(b)    The commission upon receiving a report from the rehabilita-
tion evaluation agency, shall promptly notify all parties of the con-
tents of such report. Any party in interest may within ten (10)
days from the date of issuance of such report, request a hearing to
controvert the report. At such hearing, the parties may present
such additional evidence as is deemed necessary. Following the hear-
ing, the commission shall make a decision accepting or rejecting in
whole or in part the vocational rehabilitation agency report and
shall further issue an appropriate order regarding vocational re-
habilitation of the employee.

(c)    During the period an employee is undergoing vocational re-
habilitation training, he shall be entitled to compensation as if he
were temporarily totally disabled.

(d)    Any employee undergoing vocational rehabilitation training
in the course of which he is required to live at a location other
than his home, shall also be entitled to receive in addition to the
temporary total compensation provided for herein, sufficient funds
to adequately maintain himself during such period of vocational
rehabilitation training, but in no case to exceed forty dollars per
week. The maintenance so provided shall be at the expense of the
employer and insurer.

(e)    If an employee refuses to accept vocational rehabilitation
training, pursuant to an order of the commission, and the commis-
sion determines, such refusal to be unreasonable, all payments of
compensation for temporary total disability shall be forfeited dur-
ing the period of such refusal.

(f)    This section shall apply only to injuries occurring on or after
July 1, 1968.