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BEACON Employer FAQS - Unemployment Insurance

1. How do I access my employer account number?
You will receive an employer account number immediately after you register for a Maryland unemployment insurance (UI) account in the BEACON portal (https://employer.beacon.labor.maryland.gov/).
If you need to access your employer account number, log into your BEACON portal. Your Employer ID number is located in the upper left corner of the screen.

2. How do I report fraud?
To report UI fraud, email the fraud department at ui.fraud@maryland.gov. Please include your UI account number, claimant name, and claimant ID or the last four digits of the claimant’s Social Security number.
You may also report UI fraud by completing and submitting a Request for Investigation of Unemployment Insurance Fraud form.

3. Where can I find my account balance?
Your account balance is available in your BEACON portal under the Account Summary section. The Total Unpaid Taxes and Amount Due section will include the Total Due.
The screenshot below depicts the Total Unpaid Taxes and Amount Due section in BEACON.

4. What is my tax rate?
Your tax rate is available in your BEACON portal under the Tax Rate column in the center of the screen. You may ask questions regarding your tax rate by calling the Employer Call Center at 410-949-0033.
When you fill out the form:

  • Select “Employer” from the “I am a” drop-down menu,
  • Select “Experience Rate Question/Tax Rate Question” from the Type drop-down menu,
  • Type your question in the Description section and select “submit.”

The screenshot below shows where an employer’s tax rate is displayed in BEACON. You will see the chart below in the center of the screen, to the right of the left menu, upon logging in to your BEACON employer portal.

5. How do I file my Quarterly Contribution Report?
You can file quarterly contribution reports in your BEACON portal. To file a report:

  • In BEACON, go to Your Options.
  • Navigate to Wage Submission.
  • Select “Reporting Period,” choose File New Report and the Year/Quarter.
  • Select “Submission Type” and follow the prompts.

6. How do I activate my account?

You may activate your account on the BEACON portal login page. On the login page:

  • Select, “I need to activate my account.”
  • Enter your Employer Account Number, and then enter one of the following: Last Payment Amount, Gross Wages, or Activation Code.
  • Enter the CAPTCHA code (select the speaker icon if unable to read CAPTCHA), then select “Login.”
  • Follow the instructions to create a username (must consist of an upper/lowercase letter and a number).
  • Select “validate” and follow the prompts.

7. How do I report separation information to DUI?

To locate a Request for Separation Information notice:

  • Log in to your BEACON portal and select your Action Items (under Alerts & Messages on the portal left menu).
  • Select “Request Separation.” You will be directed to the Request for a Separation screen.
  • Select “Separation Information Response” at the bottom of the screen, which will bring you to the SIDES website. SIDES will display all of your requests for separation information. To submit a response, check the box next to the claim you want to work on and follow the prompts.

8. How do I make a payment?
There are three payment options. You can make payments in your BEACON portal (by ACH credit or ACH debit) or by paper check.

To make payments in BEACON:

  • Go to Payments and select “Make a Payment.” The screen will display the Payment Account Summary for your business.
  • Then, select the Next button and follow the Payment Method prompts.
    • Follow the Payment Method prompts to pay by ACH debit in BEACON. If you pay by ACH debit, you will need to provide your bank account number, account type, and routing number.

If you wish to pay by check, mail your payments to:

Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance
PO Box 17291
1100 N. Eutaw Street,
Baltimore, MD 21297-0365

Note: If you are a Third Party Agent making a payment on behalf of an employer, you should make the payment via ACH credit or ACH debit in the BEACON agent portal. Payment instructions are available in the Maryland BEACON Agent Payment Allocation Files document and in the Third Party Payment Submission tutorial video.
For an agent to make an ACH credit or ACH debit payment:

  • The agent must generate the allocation file in the BEACON agent portal and then proceed to make payments.
    • An agent who chooses to make payments by ACH debit will need to enter their bank account number and routing number.
    • If an agent chooses to make payments by ACH credit, the agent must download the ACH credit file from BEACON and send the file to their bank.

If you are a Third Party Agent who submits a payment to a Wells Fargo lockbox, the payment will not post automatically. Posting a payment to the proper employer’s account requires manual intervention. Please note that this will cause a delay in processing the payment. The Division advises against Third Party Agents mailing payments to a Wells Fargo lockbox.

9. How do I open/close my account?
Your account can be opened/closed through the BEACON portal. To do so:

  • Go to Your Options and select “Account Maintenance.”
  • Select either “Reactivate Employer Account” (to open your account) or “Inactivate Employer Account” (to close your account) and follow the prompts.

10. How do I file a wage amendment?
You can file a wage amendment in your BEACON portal. To do so:

  • Go to Your Options and navigate to Wage Submission.
  • Under Reporting Period, select “Amend Prior Report” and then select “Year/Quarter.”
  • Select the Amendment Type and the Submission Type. Follow the prompts to complete the wage amendment.

11. How do I correct my employee’s Social Security number (SSN)?
An employee's SSN can be corrected in the BEACON portal. To do so:

  • Go to Your Options and navigate to Wage Submission.
  • Under Reporting Period, select “Amend Prior Report” and “Year/Quarter.”
  • Choose the Amendment Type and then the Submission Type (Manual Entry). This will allow you to correct the employee’s SSN on the spreadsheet.

Note: If the SSN has to be corrected on a file, please contact the Employer Call Center at 410-949-0033.

12. How do I request a penalty interest waiver?
To request a penalty interest waiver:

  • Log into your BEACON portal, navigate to Your Options, and then to Collections.
  • Select “Request Waiver” from the drop-down menu.
  • Select the year/quarter to be waived. Provide the reason in the field and follow the prompts.

13. How do I submit a Power of Attorney?
Powers of Attorney (POA) are submitted via your BEACON portal. To submit a POA:

  • Under Your Options, navigate to Account Maintenance.

  • Select “Agent Assignment.”
  • Select “Add Agent” and follow the prompts.

Note: For more information, see the Designating a Power of Attorney for Unemployment Insurance document.

14. How can I protest benefit charges?
To protest benefit charges:

  • Log into your BEACON portal and locate the “Your Options” menu.
  • Navigate to Benefit Charge Functions. Under Search Criteria, choose the year, enter the claimant’s Social Security number, and then select “Search.”
  • The Benefit Charge Quarterly Summary will display all the quarters for the year and the amount you were charged per claimant. Select the year/quarter that you were charged for the claimant.
  • Select the claimant related to the benefit charges you would like to protest.
  • Under Request of Relief of Benefit Charges, select the Request Relief of Charges tab.
  • Select the reason that you are protesting the charges from the drop-down menu.
  • In the text field, indicate why you are protesting the charge then select “Submit.”

Note: If you have any questions regarding benefit charges, please contact the Employer Call Center at 410-949-0033.

15. How can I report a refusal to return to work?
To report a refusal:

  • Log into your BEACON portal and navigate to the “Your Options” section.
  • Navigate to Benefit Services.
  • Select “Benefit Services” and choose either the:
    • Return to Work Date (submit this form to indicate the date the employee will return to work), or
  • Job Refusal (submit this form when an employee does not come back to work, when work is available).