VII - 1.40 - USM POLICY ON CONTINGENT STATUS EMPLOYMENT FOR
NONEXEMPT AND EXEMPT STAFF EMPLOYEES
(Approved by the Board of Regents December 13, 1996; Amended,
February 9, 2001; Amended, July 10, 2002; Amended, October 22,
2004)
I. PURPOSE
Establishes a USM policy on the appointment and compensation
of individuals for Contingent Status employment including, in
some instances, the provision of certain benefits.
II. DEFINITIONS
Contingent Status Employment - is a Non-Regular Status of
employment for Nonexempt, or Exempt Staff positions in the
USM.
Categories of Contingent Status Employment - Category I and
Category II (See Section IV. below).
Contingent Status Employee - is defined as a person
(nonfaculty employee) who (1) pursuant to a written
agreement, provides personal services to an institution for
pay; (2) is not employed as a Regular Status employee in a
budgeted position; (3) whose compensation, terms and
conditions of employment are governed by this policy and a
written contract and not by the USM policies generally
applying to Regular Status Nonexempt and Exempt staff; and
(4) has an employer-employee relationship with the
institution in which the institution furnishes necessary
supplies and equipment, and a place to work; has the right to
control and direct the details, means and results of the
performance of the services; and has the right to discharge
the person from employment.
III. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
A. All Contingent Status employees:
1. must meet the minimum qualifications for the position;
2. shall be paid at a rate that at least meets the minimum of
the pay range for the position's job class. If contract is
renewed, Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) as provided for Regular
Status employees and a salary increase may be considered by the
employing institution;
3. shall not have any grievance rights under any State,
University System of Maryland, or Institutional policy, unless
such policy specifically provides otherwise;
4. shall not be entitled to participate in the State Pension
System or the USM Optional Retirement Program; and
5. shall be covered by applicable Federal and State of Maryland
Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action laws and
other applicable USM employee protection policies.
B. Each written agreement (contract) for a Contingent Status
employee shall specify:
1. the appropriate contingent category: Category I or Category
II. If it is a Category I appointment, it shall specify whether
it is Seasonal or Intermittent; or percentage of time worked;
2. the salary/hourly rate of pay;
3. the duration of the contract, including a provision that
both the employee or employer have the right to terminate the
agreement for any reason following notice as specified in the
agreement;
4. the duties to be performed; and
5. the specific benefits and rates of leave accrual provided.
IV. CATEGORIES OF CONTINGENT STATUS EMPLOYMENT
Agreements for contingent status employment shall not be
offered on terms which are not included in one of the two
categories of contingent status employment as follows:
A. Contingent Category I - defined as any Contingent Status
employee whose written agreement (contract) is for a term of six
months or less regardless of the percentage of time worked and
regardless of whether it is seasonal or intermittent in nature
(works "if and when needed").
Contingent Category I Employees:
1. shall not be required to be hired through competitive
recruitment or selection;
2. shall not be entitled to receive fringe benefits;
3. may have their contract renewed indefinitely by executing
new contracts of up to six months at a time for 49% or less of
fulltime employment. However, if they have contracts of 50% or
more of fulltime employment lasting for a period of six
consecutive months, they shall be eligible for contract renewal
to a lifetime maximum of 12 months under Contingent Category I in
that position.
4. shall not be entitled to receive service credit for the time
served in this category unless they have worked 50% or more of
fulltime, on a consecutive basis, immediately preceding
appointment to a Regular Status position through a competitive
process. The term "service credit" is not applicable to any
retirement rights;
5. shall have the mandatory payroll deductions and mandatory
employer paid subsidies as described in Sections V.A.6.and 7.
below.
B. Contingent Category II - is defined as any Contingent Status
employee whose written agreement (contract) is for more than six
months, but no more than 12 consecutive months; and is on a
fulltime basis or on a parttime basis of 50% or more of fulltime
employment; and is not seasonal or intermittent in nature.
Contingent Category II Employees:
1. are required to be hired through competitive recruitment and
selection;
2. shall be entitled to receive at least the minimum benefits
as specified in this policy;
3. subject to paragraph IV.B.4., may have their contract
renewed by executing new contracts of up to one year at a time;
4. employment status conversion:
after three consecutive years of service in the
Contingent Category II at the same institution,
Contingent Category II employees who remain
employed by the institution shall be converted to a
Regular Status position, subject to all the
policies and procedures of Regular Status
employees. This provision does not apply to
employees in positions funded through a
Research/Service Grant or Contract, or through
Clinical Revenue; Athletic Coaches; employees on
internships; and those employees who have chosen
not to be converted to Regular Status employment.
For Contingent Category II employees on the payroll
as of October 22, 2004, and who remain employed by
the institution, the following conversion timeline
shall apply:
a. Employees with 6 or more consecutive years of service shall
be converted by July 1, 2005;
b. Employees with less than 6 but at least 3 years of
consecutive service shall be converted by July 1, 2006; and,
c. Employees with less than 3 years of service shall be
converted by July 1, 2007.
Each institution shall develop a schedule for the
conversions to be placed on file with the
institutional office of Human Resources. Progress
toward full conversion shall be included in the
report required by section VI of this policy.
5. shall be entitled to service credit for the time served in
this category, if appointed, without a break in service, as a
Regular Status employee. The term "service credit" is not
applicable to any retirement rights;
6. who are converted to Regular Status before occupying their
current position for a period equal to an applicable probationary
period shall be in probationary status until the position has
been occupied, as a Contingent Status employee and a Regular
Status employee, for the full probationary period; and
7. shall be given a written performance evaluation under the
USM's Performance Evaluation Program guidelines (USM-BOR VII-
5.20).
V. BENEFITS
A. The minimum benefits to be provided to all Contingent
Category II employees, on an annual basis, are listed below.
These benefits shall be pro-rated for contracts of less than one
year and for less than fulltime employment.
1. Basic Leave Benefits:
Contingent Category II employees are eligible for paid
leave, which includes five (5) days of annual leave; the
following eight (8) holidays: New Year's Day, Martin
Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor
Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving
Day, and Christmas Day; three (3) days of sick leave
(sick leave is defined as leave available to the
employee when the employee is sick or is needed to care
for the employee's sick spouse, child or legal
dependent; and it only may be used in accordance with
institutional policies that govern use of sick leave for
Regular Status employees); and leave for jury duty as
called to serve. Additionally, individual contracts
shall address whether leave that is not used by the end
of the contract term can be carried over to another
contract; whether the institution shall pay the employee
for it, with the exclusion of sick leave; or whether it
is forfeited.
2. Health Insurance Program and Prescription Plan:
Contingent Category II employees may participate in the
State Health Insurance programs and Prescription Plan
that are available to State employees by paying 100% of
the premiums directly to the State Health Benefits
Division. Participation shall be in accordance with
regulations of the State Department of Budget and
Management.
3. USM or Institution-Sponsored Insurance Programs:
Contingent Category II employees may participate in USM
or Institution sponsored insurance programs (e.g., long-
term disability; life insurance; auto and homeowners
insurance; health insurance) by paying 100% of the
premiums directly to the provider.
4. Tuition Remission:
Contingent Category II employees may participate, at
their home institution only, in the USM's Tuition
Remission program.
5. Tax Deferred Programs:
Contingent Category II employees may participate in
employee-only-contribution Tax Deferred Investment
programs that are approved by the State of Maryland and
USM, and as permitted by law and regulations.
6. Mandatory Payroll Deductions:
Contingent Category II employees shall have the required
mandatory deductions via payroll deduction, e.g.,
Maryland and Federal Income Tax withholding, and Federal
Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) which includes Social
Security and Medicare.
7. Mandatory Employer Paid Subsidies:
Contingent Category II employees shall have the required
mandatory employer paid subsidies, e.g., Unemployment
Insurance; Workers Compensation Insurance; and FICA
B. Negotiable Benefits:
At the discretion of the employing institution, a
Contingent Category II employee may be offered benefits
supplemental to the minimum benefits listed in Section
V.A. above consistent with those available to Regular
Status employees in a similarly situated job class and
employment category.
C. Other:
Contingent Category II employees may participate in other
programs with voluntary deductions, e.g., U.S. Savings
Bonds; charitable contributions; State Employees Credit
Union (SECU).
VI. USM REPORTING REQUIREMENT
In order to monitor the use of this policy, the USM requires
the CEO of each institution to report on an annual basis
(August 1) the usage of contingent employment at their
institutions. The report format shall be provided by the USM-
HR Office to the CEOs.
IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES
Each Chief Executive Officer shall develop procedures, as
necessary, to implement this policy and shall file said
procedures in the institutional Office of Human Resources.
REPLACEMENT FOR
UM-BOR Policy III - 21.00: Amendment to Policy Governing
Contractual Employment (Issued by the President, July 18,
1985; revised January 21, 1987; March 30, 1987 and April 8,
1988).
UM Personnel Policies and Rules for Classified Employees -
Section II, Classified Employment, Appointment, 2. Temporary,
pp. II-12 & 13; 3. If and When Needed Appointments, pp. II-13
& 14.
UM Personnel Policies and Rules for Associate Staff,
Positions and Appointments, C. Temporary Appointment, pp. 1 &
2; D. If and When Needed Appointment, pp. 2 & 3.