State of Maryland

An Unemployment Insurance (UI) Staff Specialist I is responsible staff or supervisory Unemployment Insurance work in central or regional offices of the Maryland Department of Labor.  Employees in this classification perform the analysis and interpretation of data and situations; the analysis of operational programs or procedures with recommendations for improvements; participation in operational or procedural planning processes; or the facilitation of program support activities.  Employees in this classification perform actual duties that may vary from assignment to assignment, depending upon the assigned work center.  Employees in this classification assigned to some work centers may supervise subordinate professional, technical, or clerical personnel.

Employees in this classification series receive general direction and guidance from a higher-level management official. Work effectiveness is evaluated in terms of timeliness, quality and completeness of assigned projects.

Position allocation to the Unemployment Insurance Staff Specialist series is determined on the basis of relative job evaluations among similarly functioning positions. The job evaluation factors include: qualifications; nature and purpose of personal contacts; nature of recommendations, commitments, decisions and conclusions; creative thought; responsibility for planning; responsibility for administration; and nature of supervision received.  In general, positions allocated to the UI Staff Specialist II classification are characterized by greater independence of action and greater responsibility for the final product of staff work.

Conducts studies and analyses of UI programs, organizations, procedures or systems;

Assists in the formation, establishment, or modification of UI program goals and objectives through analyses of alternative trends, available resources, and projected program needs;

Conducts performance evaluations to determine whether or not the agency is meeting the criteria established for the UI program by State and Federal mandates;

Prepares or assists in the preparation of final reports and makes recommendations for the improvement of the UI program;

Assists in planning new or reviewed UI programs and procedures by developing forecasts, proposals, and procedures for orderly growth and expansion;

Monitors compliance with departmental policies, directives, and objectives in the day-to-day operations;

Clarifies operating procedures for UI staff; Investigates operating problems and proposes possible solutions;

Consults with UI program heads, administrative officials, or others in order to exchange information, interpret policies, offer recommendations, and ensure that proposed changes in methods or operations comply with the UI law;

Prepares management tools, such as procedural manuals, statistical tables and charts; work flow diagrams, staffing patterns, and organizational charts;

Develops procedures and instructions to implement new policies and/or legislation;

Researches and prepares correspondence for the signature of the UI Director, Assistant Secretary, and Secretary;

May advise departmental officials, employers, claimants, and the general public regarding UI practices, procedures, and policies;

May assist in the planning, formulation, and preparation of the program budget or portions of the program budget;

May supervise professional, technical, and clerical employees;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of English language skills, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, and the collection, arrangement, and expression of subject matter;

Knowledge of labor conditions within the State; Knowledge of local and central office operations and procedures;

Knowledge of the principles and practices of public and business administration;

Knowledge of methods and procedures for the collection or organization, interpretation and presentation of information;

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of system analysis and work simplification techniques;

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of analytical procedures and techniques used in organizing and conducting studies and analyses of organizations, programs, or operations;

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of proper organizational structure;

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of basic quantitative techniques including statistics; 

Knowledge of the elementary concepts and the basic uses and capabilities of electronic information technology and data processing;

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of the programs, and services available in the Job Training and Placement Administration or special programs for the disadvantaged in the Maryland Department of Labor;

Ability to conduct studies and analyses of UI programs and procedures;

Ability to prepare and present reports and recommendations for improvements based on logical consideration of alternatives;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, supervisors and program chiefs within the UI Administration;

Ability to use tact and discretion in dealing with people at all levels;

Ability to learn and understand the agency’s purpose, programs, organization and procedures;

Ability to collect, compile, code, edit, classify, and tabulate statistical and qualitative data;

Ability to apply elementary statistical techniques such as frequency distributions and calculation of medians and means;

Ability to ascertain information by personal contact and observation;

Ability to exercise initiative, imagination, resourcefulness, and sound judgment in executing work assignments;

Ability to prepare and present ideas and information clearly and concisely;

Ability to interpret and apply a variety of laws, rules, regulations, standards, and procedures;

Ability to prepare accurate work flow diagrams, charts, time and cost studies, and other analytical aids.

Experience: Seven years of administrative experience in unemployment insurance work involving discretion and independent judgement directly related to unemployment insurance programs.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of experience in unemployment insurance work involving discretion and independent judgement directly related to unemployment insurance programs for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute graduate education from an accredited college or university for experience at the rate of one year of education for one year of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Human Resources Management classifications or Human Resources Management specialty codes in the unemployment insurance field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation. An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.