Maryland Employment Law Updates
The following employment law updates for Maryland take effect October 1, 2024, and apply to employers of all sizes unless otherwise noted:
Pay and Benefit Job Posting Requirements
Employers will be required to post a wage range and a general description of any benefits offered in all Maryland job postings (including internal postings for promotions, transfers, and recruitment). A wage range is defined as a minimum and maximum hourly rate or salary established in good faith based on any of the following:
Any applicable pay scale
Any previously determined wage range for the position
The wage range of an individual holding a comparable position
The budgeted amount for the position
If an applicant didn’t have access to the posting, employers must provide this information to them before any discussion of compensation. Employers must maintain records showing compliance for at least three years after the position was filled or posted. The state will create a form employers can include, though using the state’s form will not be mandatory.
Written Pay Information Required
Two existing pay-related notice obligations for employers have been revised:
First, the notice that employers must give employees at the time of hire, detailing pay rate, scheduled paydays, and leave benefits, will now need to be in writing.
Second, employers will be required to provide the following written information on pay stubs:
Employer’s business name, address, and telephone number
Date of payment
Beginning and end dates of the pay period
Rate of pay
Gross and net pay earned during the pay period
Name and amount of all deductions
List of additional pay (i.e., bonuses or commissions)
Number of hours worked (nonexempt employees)
The state will create a pay stub template.
Military Status Protected
The state has updated its antidiscrimination law to include military status as a protected category. Military status is defined as being a member of the uniformed services, a member of the reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces, or a servicemember’s dependent. The inclusion of servicemember’s dependents makes this much broader than the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Maryland’s antidiscrimination law applies to employers with 15+ employees and employers of all sizes for harassment claims.
Action Items
Amend job postings to include the required pay information by October 1
Revise new hire paperwork to include the new hire notice
Ensure pay stubs are modified to contain the specific written information required
Update Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy, and others that include protected classes, to include military status