Will employees who are required to work during an Emergency Closure be entitled to additional compensation or leave?

June 1, 2020

UMB is not closed. UMB is utilizing a physical distancing strategy recommended by public health experts to dramatically reduce the number of people on campus, and thereby reduce the chance of spread. Thus, although working remotely, UMB is open and committed to fulfilling its important role in our community including education, research, and client/clinical services.

Exempt employees: Exempt employees have not been authorized to receive compensatory time for working on campus because their presence on campus is part of a physical distancing strategy – not a campus closure or unsafe worksite. UMB’s compensation of exempt employees is consistent with University System of Maryland (USM) guidance and the practice of other institutions across the system.

During this transitional and uncertain time, UMB is working to minimize the financial impact of COVID-19-related absences on our employees. Exempt employees are eligible for the various leave categories that have been made available by USM. For example, if an exempt employee needs to take leave in order to care for a dependent child during a COVID-19-related school closure, they will be eligible to use sick leave for that absence. Similarly USM has relaxed the requirements of certain leave categories. Exempt employees with questions about leave should contact Human Resources.

Non-exempt employees: Pursuant to the COVID-19 Telework Policy (and consistent with USM guidance), during the period of episodic telework, for all hours that a non-exempt employee with the designation of “Essential for Pandemic Circumstances – On Campus” is required to be on campus, they will be provided with their regular pay in addition to the choice of receiving an equivalent amount of compensatory time or a cash payment.

This does not apply to University Police whose compensation is addressed elsewhere.