---
title: BEACON - Important Update for Maryland Businesses
description: The Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance (DUI) recently released a new online system, BEACON, to access Maryland DUI Employer Account
image: https://paysteady.com/hubfs/paysteady-logo.png
---

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Payroll Best Practices

# BEACON - Important Update for Maryland Businesses

The Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance (DUI) recently released a new online system, BEACON, to access Maryland DUI Employer Account

[Daniel Rafeedie](https://paysteady.com/blog/author/daniel-rafeedie)

 Oct 19, 2020

---

The Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance (DUI) recently released a new online system, BEACON, to access Maryland DUI Employer Accounts. It's important to activate employer accounts to quickly respond to requests from the agency and avoid tax penalties.

 

### *How is this impacting employers?*

When an employee files for unemployment insurance benefits in Maryland, the employer will be sent a Request for Separation Information notice. Employers must respond within 8 calendar days or receive a $15 penalty per request. The most efficient way to respond is through BEACON.

 

### *Avoid tax penalties, interest and a headache!*

 Quarterly state unemployment (SUI) tax deposits in Maryland are applied in this order:

 

1. Separation Notice Penalties (A $15 penalty applies for each failure to respond to a separation notice in a timely manner for unemployment claims.)
2. Other outstanding penalty and interest.
3. Current quarter SUI tax liabilities.

This means that if payments for penalties are not timely, the Agency will apply the unemployment deposit (which are handled with PaySteady's services) to cover these penalties, and the unemployment insurance tax for the quarter will be underpaid and result in additional tax, penalty and interest due by the client.

 

[Activate your BEACON account here.](http://dllr.maryland.gov/uim/employer/?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=2&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4QA-Vsk9e6jRPrfUsqX4a9rVTAcFLF-PmeSt1wLgm8N9K6B1tU4021eVPQrW1G2UuNSxSuMdFbWvppxba9xh7XmwvMA&utm_content=2&utm_source=hs_email)

 

For questions about BEACON and activation assistance, please call the Agency hotline at 410-767-8997, visit http://dllr.maryland.gov/uim/employer/ or email ui.employeractivation@maryland.gov.

[Payroll Best Practices](https://paysteady.com/blog/tag/payroll-best-practices)

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