3.10.1 Overtime Pay: Overtime work is to be avoided if possible and must be justified by extenuating circumstances. Advance approval is required for overtime work and must be pre-authorized by the manager/department chair. Overtime work should not be performed before or after the normal workday, or during the lunch hour, except when authorized by the manager/department chair in advance.
Federal and state overtime laws generally require an employer to pay each non-exempt employee an overtime premium rate of one and a half times an employee's regular pay rate for all hours worked over 40 hours per pay week. Holidays, unscheduled closings, vacation, personal, and sick leaves do not count as time worked. The University's policy is based on Federal and state overtime laws, therefore, employees earn overtime pay at a timeĀ and-a-half rate after working more than 40 hours in a pay week. Hours worked between 37.5 and 40 hours will be paid at the regular rate of pay. Overtime pay applies only to time worked. If there is a holiday or an employee uses paid leave in a pay week, overtime pay will only apply to actual time worked on the job beyond 40 hours. Individuals working up to 6 hours overtime beyond their normal workday will have the option to take a 30 minute unpaid meal break after the first 2 hours of overtime worked. Overtime hours worked by support staff employees are reported on appropriate time sheets issued from the payroll office. The signed sheets are then processed with the regular bi-weekly time sheets. The signed sheets will gradually be replaced by the installation of an electronic time keeping reporting system. Employees who work overtime without prior manager authorization will be paid in accordance with FLSA, but are subject to disciplinary action.
3.10.2 Exemption from Overtime for Administrative Employees: Administrators, by virtue of their administrative, managerial or professional responsibilities, generally are exempt from overtime provisions of federal and state wage and hour laws. Depending upon the requirements of the respective administrative offices, additional work time may be required beyond the normal schedule. It is expected that exempt employees will work when needed. In cases where excessive work time is required of an administrator beyond the normal schedule, the manager/department chair may, with approval from the division vice president, make adjustments to the regular work schedule at a later date as the flow of the work load permits.
3.10.3 Emergency Overtime Pay: Emergency overtime may be required to perform unforeseen services or repairs required for the University to carry out an academic program or activity. If an employee is called in to perform emergency service or repair, during non-scheduled work hours, transportation time may be included in the calculation of overtime pay or a four hour minimum may be paid, at the manager/department chair's discretion. If a resident staff employee is called to perform emergency service, payment will be for the actual hours worked. (See Section 4.5.3 for information on inclement weather and emergency overtime pay.)
3.10.4 Compensatory Time Pay: It is not the policy of the University to grant "comp" time or leave time granted in lieu of overtime pay. If a nonexempt staff employee works more than 40 hours in a given week, the employee is entitled to overtime pay.
3.10.5 Flex-time: Flex-time allows a department to temporarily alter work schedules to accommodate a special need (e.g., an expanded lunch hour to attend a class). This arrangement works only in offices with more than one employee, since at least one person must be available to keep the office open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Flex-time may only be scheduled with supervisor approval and must be resolved in the same work week. The employee must work their full total number of hours for the week in which flex time is arranged, otherwise leave will be charged or time will be lost.
Flexible schedules are permitted in offices with two or more staff employees where the accommodation serves the best interest of the department. Requests for approval of flexible hours must be submitted to the division vice president with a recommended schedule. Accurate schedules should be reflected on timesheets and leave reports. The flexible schedule may be changed back to the original schedule as operations require with a one week notice, or sooner if mutually agreeable.
3.10.6 Shift Differential: Shift differentials are premium rates of pay that are paid only to those staff members who regularly are scheduled to work from midnight to 8:00a.m or between 4:00p.m to midnight. Schedules may vary slightly from the start and finish times, as required by the manager/department chair. Shift differentials are only paid for hours worked and are not paid for vacation, sick or personal leave. In order to qualify for shift differentials, 85 percent of scheduled work hours must fall within the defined shifts. Shift differential rates are recommended by the human resources office based on the Baltimore market and changes are subject to approval by the president.
3.10.7 Interim Pay: Occasionally, an employee is asked to take on significant additional responsibilities on a temporary basis (typically 6 months or less), in addition to the employee’s current role. Examples include: responsibilities due to an unexpected employee leave of absence or resignation, serving as chair of a committee or program, etc. In these cases, the manager will work with the Human Resources Office and the Vice President to ensure that employees are properly compensated for their work, given these additional items. Generally, a 5% to 10% increase in base salary is awarded via stipend for the duration of the assignment. It is the responsibility of the manager to communicate interim pay increase amount and assignment dates to the Human Resources Office. During the interim assignment, the employee’s base pay remains the same.
In lieu of interim assignment pay, if the assignment is short-term or under 6 (six) weeks in duration, a discretionary bonus may be awarded at the end of the assignment and should not exceed 5%, pro-rated, of employee’s current base salary.
3.10.8 Acting Assignment Pay: An “Acting” position is awarded to any current, regular classified employee who assumes the full set of responsibilities, duties and authorities from an equal or higher-level position in place of their current position. An acting assignment applies to a vacant position, or an encumbered position whose incumbent is on an extended leave. The acting assignment must be for a minimum period of six (6) months or until further notice. Generally, the “Acting” incumbent will receive equitable pay based on current market data, experience and input from the Vice President and the Human Resources Department.
3.10.8 Discretionary Bonus Pay: From time to time, an employee who is performing above and beyond his/her job expectations may receive a discretionary, one-time bonus. Full-time, regular employees are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus and must have a performance rating of at least a 4. The manager must submit a rationale for why the employee should receive the bonus and the suggested amount. Given the availability of funds, the Vice President and the Human Resources Office will review the information presented and make a determination on whether the bonus is warranted, and if so, the amount. Past bonus payments do not guarantee a future bonus payment.
Any pay in addition to base salary will be paid via stipend.