Workers’ Compensation Commission emphasizes CompHub rollout and compliance work as budget edges up 5%
February 16, 2024 | Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee, Budget and Taxation Committee, SENATE, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Maryland
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The subcommittee received a concise Department of Legislative Services review of the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s FY25 operating allowance, and agency leaders described operational work linked to the commission’s budget request.
DLS analyst Elizabeth Wavell said the commission’s FY25 allowance increases by about 5% — roughly $1.1 million — to $23.7 million, funded from an assessment on insurers. She noted most of the allowance covers personnel ($14.9 million), identified $2.3 million in remaining funds to finish CompHub (the commission’s new case‑management system) and $2.6 million for contractual services mostly tied to IT support.
Maureen Quinn, chair of the Workers’ Compensation Commission, told the committee the CompHub rollout was a multiyear, $25 million effort that required a difficult "shakedown cruise" but is now lowering tech-support calls and improving operations. The commission also completed a project to add metal detectors at six permanent hearing locations and reported continued emphasis on identifying uninsured employers and improving collections for the Uninsured Employers’ Fund (UEF).
Committee members pressed the commission about deterrence and collections for uninsured employers. Quinn said the commission and the UEF had worked on negotiated changes to SB216 to make fines tiered "up to $25,000" rather than a flat $25,000 to avoid bankrupting very small operators, and she described challenges in central collections that limit the amount actually collected on assessed fines.
DLS recommended concurring with the governor’s allowance. The commission said it will continue to pursue data and partnerships (including with the unemployment insurance program) to find uninsured companies and has proposed a task force to examine the UEF’s long‑term solvency.
Ending: The subcommittee asked for follow‑up questions of the UEF next week and encouraged continued interagency discussion of collection mechanics and fine structures.
DLS analyst Elizabeth Wavell said the commission’s FY25 allowance increases by about 5% — roughly $1.1 million — to $23.7 million, funded from an assessment on insurers. She noted most of the allowance covers personnel ($14.9 million), identified $2.3 million in remaining funds to finish CompHub (the commission’s new case‑management system) and $2.6 million for contractual services mostly tied to IT support.
Maureen Quinn, chair of the Workers’ Compensation Commission, told the committee the CompHub rollout was a multiyear, $25 million effort that required a difficult "shakedown cruise" but is now lowering tech-support calls and improving operations. The commission also completed a project to add metal detectors at six permanent hearing locations and reported continued emphasis on identifying uninsured employers and improving collections for the Uninsured Employers’ Fund (UEF).
Committee members pressed the commission about deterrence and collections for uninsured employers. Quinn said the commission and the UEF had worked on negotiated changes to SB216 to make fines tiered "up to $25,000" rather than a flat $25,000 to avoid bankrupting very small operators, and she described challenges in central collections that limit the amount actually collected on assessed fines.
DLS recommended concurring with the governor’s allowance. The commission said it will continue to pursue data and partnerships (including with the unemployment insurance program) to find uninsured companies and has proposed a task force to examine the UEF’s long‑term solvency.
Ending: The subcommittee asked for follow‑up questions of the UEF next week and encouraged continued interagency discussion of collection mechanics and fine structures.
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