The Office of the Director is responsible for providing guidance and oversight of human resource services for state employees of the Maryland Department of Health. Services include providing support to units for the recruitment and management of employees, interpretation of policies and laws as they affect management and employees, payroll and timekeeping services, compensation issues, workplace safety, training and development and advising employees of the full array of benefits available to them as a state employee. We strive to help the managers of the department find the best-qualified staff so that they, in turn, can provide essential health services to the citizens of Maryland. We also ensure that those staff are afforded accurate and current information regarding benefits and other Human Resources issues.

Jennifer McMahan joined OHR as Director in February 2013 after working with the Maryland Department of Human Resources for nine years.  She manages all the department’s HR services directly or through the Deputy Director and works with agency leadership on human resources matters to achieve MDH goals and objectives.

Employment Services  410-767-6403
Melissa Easley, Chief

The Employment Services Division provides the full range of personnel services to the approximately 5,000 employees of the Department’s Headquarters programs and fourteen county health departments.  Its staff members are responsible for coordinating recruitment activities with managers and supervisors, processing all personnel transactions, and providing policy interpretation and guidance. They serve as health benefits coordinators with responsibility for the administration of the State group health plan, assisting employees and other eligible participants with enrollment and changes in plan or membership.  They also act as liaisons to the Maryland State Retirement Agency, providing basic counseling to employees regarding their retirement benefits. The Employment Services Division is available to provide information and assistance to the general public regarding job opportunities within the Maryland Department of Health.   

The Recruitment & Selection Division provides recruitment and examination support for job classifications that are unique to this department. Our staff provides a full range of services that are designed to create and establish an eligible list of candidates. In addition to the above, we provide consultation to management on recruitment strategies and counseling to applicants regarding employment opportunities. Our goal is to provide these services as efficiently and expeditiously as possible. Website: http://jobaps.com/MD/

Administrative Services 410-767-4112

The Administrative Services Division provides support in Policy Adminis​tration, Contract Administration, Leave Documentation and Overtime Authorization Review and Payroll/Timekeeping Services.

Policy Administration

      Policy Administration develops and writes Departmental policies regarding changes to leave regulations and laws. They interpret and communicate these regulations to employees and managers.

      Policy administration staff provide consultation regarding State and MDH leave benefits to employees and managers. They act as the Department's representative and present the Department's position on extraordinary leave benefit issues at all related grievance hearings, management meetings, and supervisory training sessions. Staff also administers the State Employee to Employee Leave Donation and the State Employee's Leave Bank Programs within the Department.

Contracts Administration

      Contracts Administration is responsible for processing Special Payments Payroll contracts for all Headquarters units and the following local health departments: Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Garrett, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, St. Mary's, Talbot, and  Worcester.

     Contract Administration provides guidance and instruction to departmental units with and without delegated appointing authority, interprets and applies State Personnel policies and procedures for approval of contractual employees and ensures that employees meet the minimum educational and experience qualifications.  Contract Administration also ensures that salaries paid are comparable to Merit System positions, background checks are conducted, and appointments are processed in accordance with State Personnel regulations, policies and procedures.

Leave Documentation/Overtime Review

      The Leave and Overtime Documentation Auditor is responsible for the receipt of proper documentation for leave usage for 2,300 headquarters employees. The Auditor is also responsible for ensuring that overtime hours paid are properly authorized according to the MDH Positive Timekeeping requirements policy.

Payroll/Timekeeping

      The Payroll Unit prepares the Exception Time report (ETR) for regular payroll and the Positive Time reports (PTR) for contractual payroll for headquarters and local health department employees. The reports are generated by information submitted by the units.

      The Timekeeping Unit manages the timekeeping system database for approximately 9,000 MDH employees. Reports are prepared on a bi weekly basis for distribution to units and employees. Information is also gathered for the Exceptions Time Report (ETR) for regular employees that is forwarded to the Comptrollers Office. 

Employee Relations 410-767-5466
Harold Young III, Esq., Chief

The mission of the Employee Relations Division is to provide the management of MDH with the appropriate advice, assistance, and training on all disciplinary matters, grievances and employer/ employee relations issues.

      The Employee Relations division routinely fields hundreds of policy and procedural questions from personnel officers, managers, and supervisors. The unit also serves as the Agency Technical Representative for the administration of the State's Drug testing Program and responds to management inquiries on drug testing throughout the year.

      Throughout the year, the Division conducts training on progressive discipline, the grievance procedure, employer/employee relations, and the performance appraisal process, as well as assisting in the Domestic Violence training.

      Employee Relations Division personnel act as the Secretary's designee for all agencies of the Department. They provide advice to personnel officers and other management personnel on grievance and disciplinary actions. They hold grievance and disciplinary conferences at Step Two for all these agencies. They also represent these agencies before the Department of Budget and Management at settlement conferences, and at the Office of Administrative Hearings for grievance and disciplinary hearings.  

Training Services Division 410-767-1605
David Mark, Chief

Training Services provides statewide training and management development for all units within MDH and administers the work-study program.