Abstract

The purpose of this policy is to set forth the University System of Maryland (USM) policy on employee and applicant disclosure of misconduct, and to protect employees and applicants from retaliation in the form of an adverse personnel action for disclosing what the employee or applicant believes evidences certain unlawful, wasteful or hazardous practices. This policy is applicable to all Nonexempt and Exempt Staff employees of the USM and to applicants for USM jobs in these categories II. DEFINITIONS The following terms and definitions shall apply for purposes of this policy: “Applicant ”- Means any USM or other state of Maryland employee or any external individual who is an applicant for a USM job. “Adverse Personnel Action ”- means any such actions as: a disciplinary suspension; a decision not to promote; a decision not to grant a salary increase; a decision not to hire; a termination; an involuntary demotion; rejection during probation; a performance evaluation in which the employee's performance is generally evaluated as unsatisfactory; an involuntary resignation; an involuntary retirement; an involuntary reassignment to a position with demonstrably less responsibility or status as the one held prior to the reassignment; or an unfavorable change in the general terms and conditions of employment. III. STATEMENT OF POLICY