Maryland Employee Handbook Requirements

Maryland has enacted a series of employee-protective laws in recent years. The state's minimum wage reached $15.00 per hour, and the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide paid sick and safe leave (smaller employers must provide unpaid leave). The Maryland Time to Care Act (the FAMLI program) establishes a state-run paid family and medical leave insurance program providing up to 12 weeks of paid leave. According to the Maryland Department of Labor, employer and employee contributions begin in January 2027 (the first quarterly payment is due April 30, 2027) and benefits begin in January 2028; employers should check paidleave.maryland.gov for the current timeline.

The Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (FEPA) prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, marital status, genetic information, and disability, applying to employers with 15 or more employees. Maryland also has the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, which prohibits pay discrimination based on sex or gender identity and restricts employer inquiries into salary history.

Maryland's economy is diverse, with major sectors including federal government and contracting (proximity to Washington, D.C.), biotechnology and pharmaceutical research, cybersecurity and technology, healthcare, and higher education. The state's position adjacent to D.C. means many employers manage multi-jurisdictional workforces spanning Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, each with distinct employment laws.