Maryland Paid Sick and Safe Leave

In an effort to prioritize the well-being of employees, Maryland has implemented the Paid Sick and Safe Leave law.

Employers with 15 or more workers are required by Maryland’s Healthy Working Families Act to offer paid sick and safe leave to their workers. Employees are required by law to accrue one hour of paid leave for every thirty hours worked, up to a maximum of forty hours annually. Employers may, however, mandate that workers wait up to 106 days before taking their accumulated paid time off. It is not necessary for employers who have paid leave policies that are comparable to provide extra paid leave.

Covered Employers

The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR) mandates that employers, regardless of their location, offer sick and safe leave to their employees whose primary place of employment is in Maryland.

Covered Employees

Under the Act, employees who work 12 or more hours per week can collect and use sick and safe leave. Employers having collective bargaining agreements signed before June 1, 2017, are not required to comply with the Act for the duration of the contract period, except extensions, options to extend, or renewals.

Leave Accrual

An employee is not entitled to accrue sick and safe leave during (1) a 2 week pay period in which the employee worked fewer than 24 total hours; (2) a 1 week pay period if the employee worked fewer than a combined total of 24 hours in the current and immediately preceding pay period; or (3) a pay period in which the employee is paid twice per month and worked fewer than 26 hours in the pay period. The leave hours provided under the law are the minimum number of hours an employee is entitled to earn and accrue. An employer may provide more leave for its employees.

Maryland’s Paid Sick and Safe Leave law promotes employee health and well-being in the workplace. Understanding and following this law helps employers comply with legal responsibilities and create a positive and supportive workplace. Staying aware and creating proactive strategies will help Maryland navigate paid leave as requirements change. The Maryland Department of Labor has released FAQs about the law.

Planning is needed to navigate employment laws like Maryland’s Paid Sick and Safe Leave. Partner with Lyceum Insurance Services to improve your employee benefits package as you promote employee well-being. Contact us today!