§9–674.

    (a)    The employer or its insurer shall pay the expenses of the vocational assessment and vocational rehabilitation services of a covered employee.

    (b)    (1)    While a covered employee is receiving vocational rehabilitation services, the employer or its insurer shall pay compensation to the covered employee as if the covered employee was temporarily totally disabled.

        (2)    If a covered employee refuses to accept vocational rehabilitation services in accordance with an order of the Commission and the Commission determines the refusal to be unreasonable, payments under paragraph (1) of this subsection are forfeited for the period of refusal.

    (c)    (1)    If a covered employee is required to live away from home in the course of receiving vocational rehabilitation services, the employer or its insurer shall pay to the covered employee money that:

            (i)    is sufficient to maintain the covered employee while the covered employee receives vocational rehabilitation services; but

            (ii)    does not exceed $40 a week.

        (2)    The employer or insurer shall make payments for maintenance under paragraph (1) of this subsection in addition to the payment of compensation under subsection (b) of this section.

    (d)    (1)    Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a covered employee who resides at home during vocational rehabilitation training is not entitled to reimbursement of transportation costs to and from the place of vocational training.

        (2)    In unusual cases the Commission may allow reasonable transportation costs.

    (e)    For the purposes of this section, vocational rehabilitation training may not last for more than 24 months.