Section 168-11-2 - Eligibility requirements for acceptance into MEOA. Eligibility requirements. To be eligible for acceptance into the MEO, an applicant must meet the following criteria: (1) be a resident of the state of Maine;(2) have been identified as likely to exhaust regular benefits through a worker profiling system;(3) have a balance of regular benefits equal to at least 18 times the applicant's weekly benefits amount at the time of application;(4) have attended an "Orientation to the MEO" program;(5) have completed and submitted to the Local Department of Labor Office a written application form containing information the commissioner may prescribe, including, but not limited to, the following: (a) The type of business contemplated.(c) Target market for product or service and plan for reaching the market(d) Anticipated start-up expenses.(e) Proposed sources of initial financing.(f) Personal interest, experience or training in operating the type of business proposed;(6) be willing and able to work full-time at self-employment assistance activities; and(7) be proposing to enter a type of business which is an allowable business activity as defined in section 1(E).B. Application review. Written applications will be reviewed by the Review Board to insure that the applicant meets all of the above eligibility requirements. (1) During the interval between filing an application and notification of acceptance or non-acceptance, applicants shall continue to file for and meet the eligibility requirements for regular benefits.C. Enrollment limitation. Enrollment into The MEO shall be carefully monitored by the Department of Labor on a monthly basis. Monthly notification shall be provided to the Review Board of the percentage of claimants receiving regular benefits who are enrolled in The MEO. (1) When the Review Board determines that acceptance of additional participants is likely to cause enrollment to exceed 5% of the claimants receiving regular benefits, acceptance of applicants into The MEO shall be deferred. Applicants who do not meet the requirements for eligibility for The MEO, other than the 5% limitation, shall continue to receive notification of nonacceptance. Applicants who do meet the eligibility requirements shall be given written notification that acceptance into The MEO has been deferred until such acceptances would no longer be likely to cause the percentage to exceed 5%.(2) Applicants who are deferred shall be placed on a waiting list in the order in which they applied, with the applicants who applied first and who are still on the waiting list being given the first openings for acceptance into The MEO. Applicants who are deferred shall remain on a waiting list until one of the following occurs: 1) they have been on the waiting list for five weeks following the week in which they submitted their application, or, 2) their remaining balance of regular benefits is less than 14 times the applicant's weekly benefits amount, or, 3) less than 14 weeks remain in their benefit year. Applicants shall be given written notification that their status has changed from deferral to not accepted.D. Notice of eligibility to participate in MEO. Applicants must receive written notification of acceptance from the MEO Review Board prior to submitting a claim for a self-employment assistance allowance. Notice must be made within a reasonable time frame. Participation takes effect with the week following notification. Participants shall begin filing an SEA weekly claim form as of the week following notification of acceptance into MEO.12- 168 C.M.R. ch. 11, § 2