Maryland Employee Handbook

When your company hires employees in Maryland, you are required to comply with federal, state, and local employment laws. There are a variety of human resources and labor policies in the workplace that differ by state. Through your employee handbook, employers can easily document and distribute the correct policies to their employees to comply with the laws of each state.

Creating your Maryland Employee Handbook is a useful way to explain important policies and procedures, mitigate legal risk, and introduce employees to the expectations and operating practices of the organization.

Mosey has compiled the relevant policies a company with employees in Maryland must consider.

Maryland Employee Handbook Policies

There are 13 state and local employee handbook policies in Maryland.

Wage and Hour

Maryland Minimum Wage Policy

You are entitled to a minimum wage of at least $15 per hour, as required by the Maryland State Minimum Wage Rate. Tipped employees must receive a base wage of at least $3.63 per hour, with tips included to meet or exceed the state minimum wage. Employees under 18 are entitled to 85% of the minimum wage.

Vacation, Sick, and Safe Leaves

Maryland Earned Sick and Safe Time Policy

Employees at Employer are entitled to accrue one hour of earned sick and safe leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year. This leave may be used to address the health needs of the employee or their family member, take maternity or paternity leave, or manage issues related to domestic violence.

Leaves of Absence

Maryland Organ Donor Leave Policy

You may be entitled to unpaid organ donation leave for up to 60 business days in any 12-month period.

Maryland Voting Leave Policy

Employer must give all employees up to 2 hours of paid leave to vote, unless polls are open 2 hours before or after the employee’s regular working shift or if the employee will have sufficient time to vote on their own. Employees must provide proof that they cast their vote to receive compensation for time off.

Maryland Domestic Violence Leave Policy

You can take time off for domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking under Maryland’s paid sick and safe leave law. This leave can be used if you or a family member are affected by these issues.

Maryland Jury Duty Leave Policy

Employer is required to provide employees with time off to serve on jury duty, but Employer is not required to pay an employee for their time off to serve on jury duty.

Maryland Bone Marrow Donor Leave Policy

You may be entitled to unpaid bone marrow donation leave for up to 30 business days in any 12-month period.

Maryland Volunteer Emergency Responder Leave Policy

Employer will not discriminate against an employee for participating in activities with a civil air patrol, civil defence, volunteer fire department ,or volunteer rescue squad if the activity is in response to an emergency declared by the Governor and the employee provides written proof that their participation was required.

Maryland Parental Leave Policy

You may be entitled to a total of six workweeks of unpaid parental leave during any 12-month period for the following reasons:

• The birth of a child or the placement of a child with you; or
• For adoption or foster care.

Maryland Family Bereavement Leave Policy

Employer provides leave for bereavement following the death of an immediate family member, including a child, spouse, or parent.

Maryland Military Family Leave Policy

You are entitled to one-day job-protected leave on the day an immediate family member is leaving for or returning from active military duty outside of the US as a member of the US armed forces.

Privacy

Maryland Social Media Privacy Policy

Generally, Employer is prohibited from accessing your personal social media accounts and will not discipline or terminate an employee for refusing to disclose their social media login information or for denying to provide access to their social media accounts.

Maryland Electronic Monitoring Policy

Employee should be advised that all telephone conversations or transmissions, electronic mail or transmissions, or internet access or usage by an employee by any electronic device or system, including but not limited to the use of a computer, telephone, wire, radio or electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photo-optical systems may be subject to monitoring.

Federal Employee Handbook Policies

Regardless of which states you have employees in, there are required federal policies that must be included in your employee handbook. In addition to any state-specific policies, your employee handbook for Maryland should contain the following federal policies.

• Anti-Harassment Policy
• Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy
• Anti-Retaliation Policy
• Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Handbook Policy Best Practices

In addition to the required federal policies, the following policies are best practices to include in your employee handbook.

• Prohibited Conduct Policy
• Violations Reporting Policy
• Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
• Weapons Policy
• Disciplinary Action Policy
• At-Will Employment
• Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Policy