New Third-Party Agents

A third-party agent is an individual authorized by an employer to act on its behalf. This may include, but is not limited to, a payroll company or tax and accounting service.

Does an agent need a power of attorney (POA) to perform tasks for a client?

Yes, a third-party agent is required to have an active POA (a document that gives an individual legal authority to act for another person) on file and approved by the Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance (the Division) to perform activity on an employer's behalf.

Employers must complete and send an Employer Power of Attorney Authorization Form before a third-party agent can act on their behalf. Review the section on POA for instructions on completing and submitting the form. 

Which tasks may a third-party agent complete?

Under the privileges granted by the POA, third-party agents can perform the following unemployment insurance tasks on behalf of an employer:

• Submit original and amended wage reports
• Submit payments
• Make account maintenance updates
• Access benefit charges and receive benefit charge statements
• Manage wage and separation requests
• File and participate in adjudication before the Division and file/participate in any appeal hearing before the Lower Appeals Division or the Board of Appeals.

Third party agents can complete several unemployment insurance tasks inthe Maryland Unemployment Insurance Portal (BEACON) for Agents 24/7, including:

• Submitting a POA online and accessing their customer’s account (based on the privileges granted by the POA)
• Filing wage reports on behalf of their clients
• Making contribution payments on behalf of their clients
• Filing appeals on behalf of their clients
• Obtaining rate information for their clients

How does a third-party agent register for a Maryland unemployment insurance account number?

Questions? 

Call the Employer Call Center at 410-949-0033 or toll-free at 1-800-492-5524, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Quick links:

• Employers Tax Rates
• Other Maryland Resources for Employers
• How-To and Technical Support