After a dramatic few days, Maryland joins nine other states (and the District of Columbia) in implementing a paid family and medical leave program. On March 31st, the Maryland General Assembly passed “The Time to Care Act of 2022,” which established the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund. Just eight days later, on April 8th, Republican Governor Larry Hogan vetoed the legislation citing the burden on small businesses, as well as the potential for up to 24 weeks of leave in a year (compared to only 12 weeks under the federal FMLA). The following day (April 9th), the Maryland General Assembly voted to override Governor Hogan’s veto, thereby finalizing the legislation.

A few key takeaways from Maryland’s paid family and medical leave program are:

  • Beginning October 1, 2023, employers, employees, and self-employed individuals who elect to participate (see below) will be required to contribute to the fund.
  • A self-employed individual can elect to participate in the program but must commit to at least three years of participation.
  • The program is mandatory for employers with 15 or more employees.
  • Generally, employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave within a year for qualifying reasons. However, in certain circumstances, an employee may be entitled to up to 24 weeks of leave within one year.

Maryland’s new law is a reminder to multi-state employers, as well as employers with remote workers, to stay up-to-date on state and local leave guidelines, in addition to federal leave laws.

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Photo of Megan E. Bennett Megan E. Bennett

Megan focuses her practice on the representation of management in all aspects of labor and employment law. She assists in providing day-to-day counseling to employers by researching and recommending best practices for companies on human resources issues such as terminations, compliance with employment…

Megan focuses her practice on the representation of management in all aspects of labor and employment law. She assists in providing day-to-day counseling to employers by researching and recommending best practices for companies on human resources issues such as terminations, compliance with employment laws, workplace investigations, and the preparation of policies and employment agreements. Megan aids in the defense of employers in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and various other employment-related claims before judicial bodies and administrative agencies. Megan assists clients across several industries in preparing annual affirmative action plans and defending against OFCCP audits.

During law school, Megan had hands-on experience, including serving as a Judicial Extern to the Honorable Judge Christopher Boyko of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, a Law Clerk for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, and a Legal Intern for the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. In addition, Megan was a Frantz Ward Summer Associate.

Prior to law school, Megan taught Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten in New York City through Teach for America. Megan holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Lehman College of the City University of New York. Megan also has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communications from the University of Dayton.