Employee Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How does vacation, personal, and sick leave accumulate?

Vacation - Full-time employees accumulate vacation leave based upon years of service and the employee's job classification.

Personal - Full-time employees accumulate two (2) hours per month personal leave which may be used for specific reasons.

Sick - Full-time employees accumulate ten (10) hours per month sick leave. Sick leave may be used for the employees personal illness(es) and to care for certain relatives and/or members of the household.

Earned leave is posted on the last day of the month and shows on employees' pay stub the following pay.

More information is available on the Human Resources web page.

What type of retirement plan does the college offer?

Harford Community College does not have its own retirement plan. Full-time employees are enrolled in either the Maryland State Contributory Pension System or one of four state-approved Optional Retirement Programs (ORP). The state of Maryland has restricted enrollment in the ORP to employees holding professional level positions and possessing at least a bachelor degree. Employees must enroll in a retirement plan as a condition of employment and choose a plan within thirty-one (31) days of employment. Those employees who do not choose will be enrolled in the Maryland State Contributory Pension System.

More information is available on the Human Resources web page.

What kind of breaks, i.e., lunch or Mid-day Break, do we receive?

Full-time Employees
The only official break for full-time employees is the lunch period.  Full-time employees working a full day (8 hours or more) are granted a sixty (60)-minute paid lunch break which is to be taken approximately mid-way through the workday.   Full-time employees are not to “time shift” the mid-day break; i.e., move the lunch period to the beginning or end of the day so as to come in later or leave earlier than scheduled.   No other official breaks are designated and/or allowed.

Part-time Employees
No official breaks, paid or unpaid, are designated or allowed for part-time employees.  Department supervisors may utilize flexible scheduling options to allow an interrupted schedule for part-time employees.  For example, when a part-time employee works an eight (8) hour day, a department supervisor might use flexible scheduling to have the employee work a daily schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 pm.   The break in schedule would be part of the employee’s regular schedule.   The employee would only be paid for the hours worked which would be eight (8) hours.

What are the official holidays of the college?

Each year the college calendar, with the exact dates, is prepared, presented to the college community, and approved by the Board of Trustees. In general, the following are the official holidays:
     Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
     Spring Break - Three (3) days during spring recess fixed annually by the president of the college
     Memorial Day
     Independence Day
     Labor Day
     Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday
     December 24 when falling on a weekday only
     Winter Break (December 25-January 1)

More information is available on the Human Resources web page.

What are the pay periods at the college?

Employees are paid bi-weekly. The pay schedule with exact dates is set by the payroll office each July.

Does the college offer direct deposit?

Yes, and all full-time employees are required to sign up for direct deposit of their compensation. If the employee does not have a financial institution, the college will suggest, and, if necessary, open an account for the employee (paying all necessary fees). All legitimate financial institutions are available for direct deposit of the employee's compensation.

Can someone help me with income tax questions?

No, the college does not employ individuals to answer income tax or other financial questions.

Do we receive yearly job performance evaluations?

Yes, all full-time classified, professional, and administrative employees are evaluated annually.

How are hourly employees paid?

Hourly employees are paid bi-weekly on the same pay schedule as full-time employees.

Do hourly employees receive any benefits?

No fringe benefits are offered to hourly employees. Hourly employees are, however, eligible for unemployment and covered by workers' compensation insurance.

Can I work a flexible schedule?

Yes, with the approval of the line supervisors (immediate supervisor to chief administrative officer), flexible work schedules may be arranged provided the job lends itself to a flexible work schedule and it is in the best interest of the unit and/or college to do so.

More information is available on the Human Resources web page.