Payroll, W-4, Direct Deposit, Change of Address

How do I change my name/address? 

When an employee (including student workers) changes their address, they must notify the Office of Office of Strategic Human Resources and complete the tax forms as applicable in order for Central Payroll Bureau to be notified of their address change. 

Important: Please note on January 1, 2027, the Central Payroll Bureau (CPB) will transition to the new Statewide Personnel and Payroll System (SPPS). Please carefully review the information provided SPPS website to learn how employees can use this new portal for payroll and benefits.
 

How do I enroll in direct deposit?

Complete the Payroll Direct Deposit Authorization Form and submit it to the Office of Human Resources. Please type and complete  all fields on the form except the signature field. Please use a pen to sign.

  • Payroll System : University of Maryland
  • Agency Code: 360222
  • Agency Name: UMCP
     

How do I change my W-4?

  • Please complete the applicable W-4 and submit it to the Office of Human Resources
  • If you need assistance filling out your W-4, please see your financial advisor.
  • Please review your pay statements  often  to understand  your taxes and  to make any changes as appropriate. 

Benefits, Retirement, Tuition Remission

When do I need to turn in my benefits enrollment form?

You must enroll in the benefit plans within 60 days from your date of hire. The Statewide Personnel System (SPS) is administered by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) . Through SPS, employees can log-in securely and change/view their benefits, dependents, and beneficiaries. Benefits can only be changed or elected if you are a new hire, during open enrollment or have a qualifying event.

Important: Please review the following page frequently to learn about the new Statewide Personnel and Payroll System (SPPS) portal which will be used for payroll and benefits in 2027.

When can I change my health benefits coverage? 

Open Enrollment
Once a year,  there is an open enrollment period which allows all eligible employees to change, cancel or add to existing coverage.  The  Department of Budget and Management Health Benefits Office will notify eligible employees of the open enrollment period via  the SPS system inbox.   Eligible employees can change from one health insurance company to another during this time, or you can cancel coverage altogether.

Changes in Coverage Due to Qualifying Events
Once you have elected a plan, you must stay in the selected plan, at the selected coverage level, for the full calendar year, unless there has been a qualifying event.

  A qualifying event is a change in family status, such as:

  • birth of a child
  • loss of a dependent
  • marriage
  • loss of coverage through a spouse or parent

You have 60 days from the occurrence of the qualifying event to make changes to your benefits. The changes made, however, must be because of and consistent with the change in status that has occurred.

For a detailed guide on how to initiate a Qualifying Life Event in SPS Workday, please visit the Online Benefit System.
 

How do I add a dependent to my health benefits?

  •  You must experience a qualifying event (marriage/birth of a child etc.) to make mid-year changes to your health benefits if it is not during the annual Open Enrollment Period.
  • If the reason for adding a dependent is due to loss of other coverage outside of Open Enrollment, the employee would need to supply a letter from the insurer/employer on letterhead showing proof of the loss of coverage.

Visit the Online Benefit System for more information.
 

How do I enroll in an SRA, Supplemental Retirement Account (Fidelity/TIAA-CREF)?

All employees (contractual and regular) are eligible to participate in any of the Supplemental Retirement Accounts (SRA) available through the University of Maryland.

  •  Retirement Portal: UMD employees  can now enroll and make changes to Fidelity and TIAA accounts through the new Retirement@Work Portal. You no longer need paper forms for these accounts.
  • To enroll in MSRP/Nationwide, please enroll through the MSRP vendor's portal.
     

What types of plans are offered by MetLife?

How do I get tuition remission?

What are the types of leave available to eligible employees?

Development & Training

How do I access LinkedIn Learning?

Staff and faculty can access the LinkedIn Learning online library of 15,000+ instructional videos. Please visit LinkedIn Learning to learn about this resource.
 

Where can I find information on training and learning opportunities that are being currently offered by HR?

You will periodically receive information via email on training that is being offered and made available to employees at USG. 

Employment & Compensation

What are the different types of positions?

  • Nonexempt positions are support positions in maintenance, office, service and technical/paraprofessional areas. These positions are subject to the minimum wage and overtime pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. They are paid on an hourly basis and must be paid overtime for time worked that exceeds 40 hours in the standard workweek.
  • Exempt positions are managerial, administrative and professional in nature. They are salaried positions that are not subject to the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Exempt employees are ineligible to receive overtime; a full-time commitment typically requires a minimum of 80 hours per bi-weekly pay period.
  • Contingent 1 positions are non-regular in nature, paid on an hourly basis (Referred to as "Contractual 1" in Workday). The Contingent 1 position may be seasonal or intermittent in nature, and the agreement shall be for a term of six months or fewer. Contingent 1 employees are ineligible for benefits pursuant to Board of Regents policy. Departments may hire a Contingent I employee without a competitive selection process as long as minimum qualifications are met.
  • Contingent 2positions are non-regular in nature (Referred to as "Contractual 2" in Workday). A contingent agreement is for a term of more than six months, but no more than twelve months. A minimum level of benefits is guaranteed for Contingent 2 employees under applicable Board of Regents policy; additional benefits may be negotiated at the discretion of the department up to the level of the similarly-situated regular employee. Contingent 2 vacancies require a competitive selection process.
     

How do I apply for a position?

To be considered for any of the current vacancies available at the Universities at Shady Grove, please visit our Employment page and follow the instructions for applying for the desired position. Nonexempt positions require applicants to complete a general application online. The required documents for Exempt and Faculty vacancies can vary from position to position typically requiring a resume or cv, cover letter, and a listing of references. You must apply to each individual position that you wish to be considered for and only those applicants who apply online through the applicant tracking system will be considered for employment.
 

Who determines what my job title should be and how much I should be paid?

The Classification and Compensation team  in University Human Resources (UHR) decide which job titles are appropriate for each job. This decision is based on all information contained within the Position Description Form. The information in that form, coupled with conversations with the supervisor of the position helps the  UHR team to make this determination. For exempt positions, the Classification and Compensation team also establishes the appropriate range of pay based on market data.
 

How do I request employment and income verification?

For all current and former staff and student assistants, requests for employment and income verifications are handled by Neetha Thomas in the Office of Human Resources. Please note, we do not do verbal employment verification. Any such request must be supported by a written release/consent form signed by the employee; without a consent form by the employee concerned, information cannot be provided. Please fax the verification and the consent form at 301-738-6140.

Staff Relations

How do I find out whether or not my job is in a bargaining unit?

Your supervisor and/or an HR team member can tell you if your position is included in or excluded from a bargaining unit. To do so, go to your Workday employee profile, click the job, and select bargaining exempt information.
 

What is meant by the term "probationary employee?"

Each new regular employee, exempt or nonexempt, serves a trial period of employment designed to allow the university to determine if the employee has the necessary attributes and competencies to perform the essential duties of his/her position. Nonexempt regular employees new to the university generally serve an “original” probationary period of six (6) months. Exempt employees new to the university generally serve a probationary period of one (1) year. There are also different probationary periods that may apply as an employee moves to other jobs within the university.
 

Does USG have a formal policy on time and attendance?

The Office of Strategic Human Resources at USG operates during core business hours from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. However, each individual department sets its own specific work hours and reporting requirements, which may vary based on the organization's business needs and the responsibilities associated with each position. For more information about general USG hours, please visit our hours of operation page.
 

Does USG have a formal process to address employee complaints?

Yes. USG has a formal process open to all regular employees. Regular employees who are seeking resolutions to workplace matters such as discipline or the application of procedures or rules over which management has control may use the grievance procedure.
 

How do I request disability accommodation and/or a piece of furniture ergonomic in nature?

Visit the Disability Accommodation and Ergonomics page for more information. 

Can't find what you are looking for? Please contact any of our Human Resources team members for assistance.