State of Maryland

An Unemployment Insurance (UI) Specialist Supervisor is supervisory work involving responsibility for a unit or units of Unemployment Insurance Specialists engaged in the adjudication of claims or the investigation of claims under the Maryland Unemployment Insurance Law and Federal and Veterans legislation.  Employees in this classification are responsible for the efficient operation of the unit(s) supervised and coordinate the functioning of the unit(s) with other Unemployment Insurance units in order to provide good service to the public.  Employees in this classification handle problems which deviate from the usual routine and develop plans of action for the units supervised.  Employees in this classification appraise individual and team efficiency and recommend, from the aspect of optimal staffing, appropriate personnel actions.  Employees in this classification assigned to county offices may supervise Unemployment Insurance Associates and/or Unemployment Insurance Aides engaged in a variety of tasks, in addition to Unemployment Insurance Specialists.

Employees in this classification receive general direction from an administrative supervisor of a major Unemployment Insurance unit or of an Office Manager who outlines objectives and recommends methods of implementation. Work is evaluated through conferences and reports in terms of the overall efficiency of the unit(s) supervised, and the quality of services delivered.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and. Examples of Work sections of the class description.  

Organizes work and recommends personnel actions in order to achieve maximum workforce utilization;

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

Evaluates the efficiency of subordinate personnel;

Investigates operational problems and proposes solutions;

Clarifies operating procedures to the subordinate staff;

Bears responsibility for the overall on-the-job training of newly assigned employees;

Conducts regular meetings of assigned subordinate staff to discuss operational problems and clarify policy issues;

Endeavors to resolve complaints and misunderstandings of claimants, employers, and the general public;

May assist the office manager or a higher level administrative supervisor, based on knowledge of employment and unemployment trends, in estimating type and volume of work required of subordinate staff and preparing plans of action accordingly;

May explain departmental policy to employers, claimants, and the general public;

May assist central office personnel in special Unemployment Insurance projects or studies;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the benefit provisions of federal and State laws, rules and regulations pertaining to Unemployment Insurance;

Knowledge of legal procedures and methods as they apply to Unemployment Insurance benefits;

Knowledge of labor conditions within the State;

Knowledge of current national and local social and economic problems;

Knowledge of business organization and procedures;

Knowledge of local office operations and procedures;

Knowledge of supervisory principles and techniques;

Knowledge of the principles and practices of public personnel administration;

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

Knowledge, at the introductory level of understanding, of the programs and services available in the Employment Service Division and in special programs for the disadvantaged in the Employment Security Administration;

Ability to appraise the individual assets and liabilities of subordinates in order to utilize fully each individual through an organization of work which will develop individual interest and aptitudes;

Ability to prepare plans of action for the subordinate staff;

Ability to coordinate the activities of the subordinate staff with the total program of the Employment Security Administration;

Ability to present ideas effectively;

Ability to conduct continuing analyses of staff performance and progress;

Ability to elicit the respect of subordinates, co-workers, and the general public;

Ability to plan, organize, coordinate and review the work of others;

Ability to deal effectively with employers.

Education:   None.

Experience: One year of full-time paid employment in the Maryland State government as an Unemployment Insurance Specialist III or IV or equivalent classification in the Employment Security Administration.

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 not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by 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.