New Employee FAQ

New Employee FAQ

What do I need to do before Onboarding/Intake? 

All new employees have a series of tasks that will need to be completed prior to attending their onboarding session or intake appointment. These tasks include submitting documentation and completing payroll and tax forms. Please refer to the New Employee webpage for your employment class for specific instructions. You can find your employment classification on your welcome letter. 

What documents do I need to bring to onboarding? 

  1. I9 Supporting Documents for verifications
  2. Federal W4 - Employee's Withholding Certificate (typed and signed)
  3. State Employee Withholding Exemption Certificate (typed and signed)
  4. Payroll Direct Deposit Authorization (typed and signed)

View your new hire checklist for specific instructions.

What is the onboarding/intake inclement weather policy?  

In the event of inclement weather or an emergency, the following applies:

If the campus opens at 9 a.m., please arrive at 9 a.m.
If the campus has a 2-hour delayed start, please arrive at 10 a.m.
If the campus is closed or opens at 11 a.m. or later, onboarding will take place on the next business day.
For more information about inclement weather and emergency closure announcements, please visit http://www.umaryland.edu/alerts/ or call 410-706-8622.

How do I know what benefits I’m eligible for?  

Review the UMB Summary of Benefits chart to see your eligible benefits. For more information check out the Benefits page, or contact HRBenefits@umaryland.edu

How do I decide on a retirement option? 

Regular status exempt employees and faculty are eligible for either the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System or the Optional Retirement Program (ORP). To make your decision, start by reviewing resources like the Pension Plan/Optional Retirement Plan Comparison Chart and video. If you have questions, contact the benefits team at hrbenefits@umaryland.edu. During your onboarding session, the benefits team will also be on hand to review your retirement options and answer any questions you might have.

Non-exempt staff must join the Pension Plan that is available through the Maryland State Retirement & Pension System.

Law Enforcement officers are required to join the Law Enforcement Officers' Pension System available through the Maryland State Retirement & Pension System. 

Please note: Enrollment in a retirement program is a condition of employment as stated in the Annotated Code of Maryland. If you do not make a retirement selection by your first day of employment, you will be defaulted to either the Employees’ or Teachers’ Reformed Pension System.  While membership in either the Pension or ORP is irrevocable and cannot be changed during the course of state employment, members of the ORP can change their vendor (TIAA or Fidelity) at any time.

How do I enroll in health benefits?  

  • Find your SPS ID New Hires will get an email alert to their UMB email within 2-3 weeks of their hire date or the date they were entered into our payroll system.  The email alert will be from stateofmaryland@myworkday.com  and will contain
    • Email 1:  The New Hire’s SPS ID (W#)
    • Email 2:  A link to your temporary password - you must click on this within 24 hours of receipt. New Hires must use the temporary password link in their initial email from stateofmaryland@myworkday.com to login to the SPS Workday System for the first time
  • Login to SPS Workday
  • Use the following Quick Reference Guide for New Employees to elect benefits for the first time.
  • Dependent Documentation is required and must be uploaded into SPS Workday within the 60 day enrollment period. Have your documentation such as marriage certificates and birth certificates scanned for quick upload. 
  • Make sure to review the Benefits Guide and Rates, and have your elections handy

Effective Dates of Coverage: Coverage will begin on the 1st of the month following the start date of a new hire. The exception is if your hire date is the 1st day of any month. Then your effective date will be the 1st of the month that you started work. Coverage may NOT be backdated to your date of hire.

Even though your coverage will become effective the 1st of the month following your hire date you will not receive your benefits cards until the State of Maryland Employee Benefits Division has processed your online request. If you have a medical need during this time you may be required to pay out of pocket for these services by your medical providers. If you pay out of pocket for a service it may be possible to submit claim forms for reimbursement.

For more information, please contact the State of Maryland Employees Benefits Division at (410)-767-4775

What perks can I expect as a UMB Employee? 

There are many perks that you may be eligible for as a UMB employee in addition to your benefits package. Please note that eligibility may vary based on your employment class. A few notable perks include:

  1. Tuition Remission
  2. Employee discounts
  3. Live Near Your Work 
  4. UMB Child Care Grant 
  5. Access to the Employee Assistance Program provided by Guidance Resources

To view additional information about employee perks and benefits, visit the Current Employees page. 

Who is my department's payroll representative?  

Each department has an assigned payroll representative to assist with things like timesheets, paychecks, and more. You can find your payroll rep by asking your supervisor or department contact, or you can find them on the list of payroll reps by department

What happens to my benefits if I transferred from the State or a USM school? 

Regular employees (Non-Exempt, Exempt and Faculty) do not need to re-enroll in benefits if there was a break of less than 30 days between jobs.

All state benefits will transfer, including medical, dental, prescription, life insurance and FSA. You cannot make any changes.

Your W# in Workday will remain the same. Your password will also be the same if it has not been more than 90 days; however, you may not be able to login until after your first paycheck.

What is a Glacier Record?  

A Glacier record is a requirement for new hires who are foreign nationals (not US citizen and not a US Permanent Resident). The online platform will collect tax and immigration status information and outline additional documents that must be printed and submitted.  When complete, you will submit the Glacier packet to your department payroll representative. 

If you have questions about the Glacier process, please contact your department payroll representative. 

What resources are available for international new hires?  

Please refer to the resources available to scholars and employees from the Office of International Services.

What if I need an accommodation on the onboarding day? 

UMB is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities or for individuals who are pregnant or have pregnancy related medical conditions in employment, services, programs, and activities.  To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Sheila Blackshear, Diversity, ADA, and Affirmative Action Administrator, Human Resources/Employee and Labor Relations, or call 410-706-3451.

If your question was not answered or you still need help, please contact us at Human Resource Services.