{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-labor-and-employment-8-506","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Labor and Employment § 8–506","heading":"","body":"(a) (1) A hearing examiner shall conduct a hearing or appeal in a manner that ascertains the substantial rights of the parties.\n(2) (i) A hearing examiner is not bound by statutory or common law rules of evidence or technical rules of procedure.\n(ii) A hearing examiner shall consider evidence offered in accordance with § 10–213 of the State Government Article.\n(b) (1) (i) A hearing examiner may not participate in any proceeding in which the hearing examiner has a direct or indirect interest.\n(ii) The status of the Secretary as a party to a case may not constitute a direct or indirect interest as to a hearing examiner.\n(2) (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, ex parte communications are subject to § 10–219 of the State Government Article.\n(ii) Section 10–219(d) of the State Government Article does not apply to ex parte communications under this subtitle.\n(c) (1) A hearing examiner may consolidate claims by more than one individual or claims by a single individual for 2 or more weeks of unemployment if:\n(i) the same or substantially similar evidence is relevant and material to the matters at issue; and\n(ii) in the judgment of the hearing examiner, the consolidation would not be prejudicial to a party.\n(2) When claims are consolidated under this subsection, the hearing examiner may:\n(i) set the same time and place for considering each claim;\n(ii) conduct joint hearings;\n(iii) make a single record of the proceedings; and\n(iv) consider evidence that is introduced in a proceeding for one claim as having been introduced for another claim.\n(d) (1) A record shall be kept, in accordance with § 10–218 of the State Government Article, of all testimony and proceedings before a hearing examiner.\n(2) Testimony shall be transcribed if:\n(i) judicial review is initiated; or\n(ii) the hearing examiner or the Board of Appeals orders a transcription.\n(e) (1) A witness who is subpoenaed under this subtitle is entitled to compensation at a rate that the chief hearing examiner sets.\n(2) The compensation of a witness who is subpoenaed on behalf of the Lower Appeals Division or a claimant shall be considered part of the expense of administering this title.\n(f) The Lower Appeals Division may not charge a claimant a fee in any proceeding under this title.\n(g) (1) A hearing examiner promptly shall give each party to a proceeding before it written notice of its decision by mailing the notice to each party at the last known address of the party or business address of a licensee in accordance with § 10–209(a) of the State Government Article, or otherwise delivering the notice.\n(2) The notice shall:\n(i) include the findings of fact and conclusions of law that support the decision;\n(ii) be accompanied by any order necessary to give effect to the decision; and\n(iii) conform to the requirements of § 10–221 of the State Government Article.","path":["Article - Labor and Employment"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gle\u0026section=8-506","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:59:38Z","sha256":"4125d9e81b0f9d06598418f45ced2d01df410ea3d342be9ff9d9ee37ffee6bfd","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-labor-and-employment-8-505","next":"us-md/md.-code-labor-and-employment-8-507"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}