3328                                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                                         Ch. 706

EMPLOYER, THE SECRETARY MAY WAIVE FOR CAUSE A CHARGE ASSESSED
AGAINST THAT EMPLOYER AS A RESULT OF THE EMPLOYER'S ERRONEOUS
REPORT.

Benefits paid to claimants based upon wages earned in a
work-release program designed to give an inmate of a correctional
institution an opportunity to work while serving a term of
incarceration shall be treated as benefits for all purposes under
this article except that benefits resulting from unemployment due
to termination of the inmate's services to a participating
employer in a work-release program shall not be charged to such
employer if the termination was caused by the inmate's release
from prison.

(9)  As used in this subsection:

(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 May 31 of the
preceding fiscal year.

(iii) The term "annual payroll" 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.

(v) The term "base period wages" means wages
paid to an individual during his base period for insured work.

(10)   For the purposes of the experience-rating
provisions of this subsection, in any case where a claim for
benefits is filed, an employer's account shall not be charged
with benefits paid, for the purposes of any computation made for
any fiscal year beginning after the date of separation from
employment, if the claimant: (i) leaves the service of the
employer voluntarily without good cause attributable to his
employer; or (ii) is separated from the service of the employer
and admits or is found guilty of having committed any criminal
act against the employer.

(11)  The experience-rating account of an employer who
pays contributions under this section may not be charged for
benefits paid to an individual whose base period wages include
wages for previously uncovered services, as defined in § 20(n-l)
of this article, to the extent that the fund is reimbursed for
the benefits under the Unemployment Compensation Amendments of
1976.