Maryland Employment Laws for Employers

Maryland's state minimum wage is $15.00 per hour. (Maryland minimum wage law (DOL WHD state minimum wage table, updated July 1, 2026))

“Maryland Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.00”

“Most employees must be paid at least the Maryland State Minimum Wage Rate of $15 per hour, but there are some exemptions.”

dol.gov · labor.maryland.gov

Report an error

Employers must set regular pay periods and pay each employee at least once every 2 weeks or twice each month (bi-weekly or semi-monthly); administrative, executive or professional employees may be paid less frequently. (Maryland payday law (DOL WHD State Payday Requirements table))

“Maryland X X”

“(ii) except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, shall pay each employee at least once in every 2 weeks or twice in each month.”

dol.gov · mgaleg.maryland.gov

Report an error

• Retail 4 to 6 hours: Covered large retail employers (see notes) must provide a nonworking shift break of at least 15 minutes for 4 to 6 consecutive hours worked. (Maryland Healthy Retail Employee Act (DOL WHD meal period table))

  “15 minute break for 4-6 consecutive hours or a 30 minute break for more than 6 consecutive hours.”

  “(i) Except as provided in paragraph (4) of this subsection or subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, an employer may not employ an employee at a retail establishment for 4 to 6 consecutive hours without providing a nonworking shift break of at least 15 minutes.”

  dol.gov · mgaleg.maryland.gov · verified Sep 27, 2026 · 2 official sources

• Retail 8 plus hours additional: If a covered retail employee works 8 consecutive hours, the employer must provide an additional nonworking shift break of at least 15 minutes for every additional 4 consecutive hours worked. (Maryland Healthy Retail Employee Act (DOL WHD meal period table))

  “If an employee works 8 or more consecutive hours, the employer must provide a 30-minute break and an additional 15 minute break for every additional 4 consecutive hours worked.”

  “(3) If an employee works 8 consecutive hours in a single shift, the employer shall provide an additional nonworking shift break of at least 15 minutes for every additional 4 consecutive hours the employer employs the employee in the shift.”

  dol.gov · mgaleg.maryland.gov · verified Sep 27, 2026 · 2 official sources

• Retail over 6 hours: Covered retail employers must provide a nonworking shift break of at least 30 minutes for more than 6 consecutive hours worked. (Maryland Healthy Retail Employee Act (DOL WHD meal period table))

  Same official text as quoted above (see the quote; Maryland Healthy Retail Employee Act (DOL WHD meal period table) · dol.gov).

  “(2) An employer may not employ an employee at a retail establishment for more than 6 consecutive hours without providing a nonworking shift break of at least 30 minutes.”

  dol.gov · mgaleg.maryland.gov · verified Sep 27, 2026 · 2 official sources

Report an error

No state requirement for paid rest periods for adult private-sector employees. (DOL WHD Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements table, footnote 1)

“1 States not listed do not require paid rest periods.”

“Unless the worker is under 18 years old or is an employee who works in certain retail establishments, there is no law requiring an employer to provide breaks, including lunch breaks.”

dol.gov · labor.maryland.gov

Report an error

• Accrual: Maryland Healthy Working Families Act: earned sick and safe leave accrues at a rate of at least 1 hour for every 30 hours worked (employers may instead front-load the year's amount). (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-1304(b))

  “(b) The earned sick and safe leave provided under subsection (a) of this section shall accrue at a rate of at least 1 hour for every 30 hours an employee works.”

  “Alternatively, an employee can accrue earned sick and safe leave at the rate of at least one hour for every 30 hours the employee works.”

  mgaleg.maryland.gov · labor.maryland.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

• Accrued balance cap: An employer need not allow an employee to accrue a total of more than 64 hours of earned sick and safe leave at any time. (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-1304(c)(3))

  “(3) accrue a total of more than 64 hours at any time;”

  “Under the latter approach, employees are permitted to carry over earned sick and safe leave up to a maximum of 40 hours and up to a maximum total accrual amount of 64 hours.”

  mgaleg.maryland.gov · labor.maryland.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

• Annual cap: An employer need not let an employee earn more than 40 hours of earned sick and safe leave in a year. (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-1304(c)(1))

  “(1) earn more than 40 hours of earned sick and safe leave in a year;”

  “An employee is entitled to accrue 40 hours of sick and safe leave in a year regardless of the number of hours worked.”

  mgaleg.maryland.gov · labor.maryland.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

• Effective date: The Maryland Healthy Working Families Act took effect February 11, 2018, after the General Assembly overrode the Governor’s veto. (Maryland Department of Labor, Sick and Safe Leave)

  “The Maryland Healthy Working Families Act (MHWFA – often referred to as “Sick and Safe Leave”) took effect February 11, 2018.”

  “Employers must begin complying with the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act on February 11, 2018.”

  labor.maryland.gov · labor.maryland.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

• Employer coverage: All employers with employees whose primary work location is Maryland must provide earned sick and safe leave: paid leave if they employ 15 or more employees, unpaid leave if they employ fewer. (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-1304(a)(1))

  “(a) (1) (i) Subject to subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph, an employer that employs 15 or more employees shall provide an employee with earned sick and safe leave that is paid at the same wage rate as the employee normally earns.”

  “Employers who employ 15 or more employees are required to provide paid earned safe and sick leave. Employers with less than 15 employees are required to provide unpaid earned sick and safe leave.”

  mgaleg.maryland.gov · labor.maryland.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official pages from the same agency

One more case for this topic is pending verification. Official source.

Note: Maryland's law preempts local paid sick and safe leave laws enacted on or after January 1, 2017. Montgomery County enacted its own law before that date, so employers there should also check the county law. (Maryland Healthy Working Families Act (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-1301 et seq.); Maryland DOL FAQ)

Report an error

Maryland recognizes a tort of wrongful ("abusive") discharge when the motivation for firing an at-will employee contravenes a clear mandate of public policy (Adler v. American Standard Corp.); courts treat it as a narrow exception. (Parks v. Alpharma, Inc., 421 Md. 59 (2011) (Md. Court of Appeals, No. 115, Sept. Term 2010), discussing Adler v. American Standard Corp., 291 Md. 31 (1981); Holden v. University System of Maryland, No. 0369, Sept. Term 2014 (Md. Ct. Spec. App., reported))

“Since recognizing the tort of wrongful discharge in Adler, the tort itself has been refined on a case by case basis.”

“However, the tort of wrongful discharge is a narrow exception, defined as “the willful termination of employment by the employer because of the employee’s alleged failure to perform in accordance with the employer’s expectations and the termination is contrary to a clear mandate of public policy.””

mdcourts.gov · mdcourts.gov

Report an error

In Maryland, personnel-policy or handbook provisions that limit the employer’s discretion to terminate, or set a required termination procedure, may become enforceable contractual undertakings if properly expressed and communicated (Staggs v. Blue Cross of Maryland); an express disclaimer of contractual intent defeats the claim. (Spacesaver Systems, Inc. v. Adam, No. 1797, Sept. Term 2011 (Md. Ct. Spec. App., reported), quoting Staggs v. Blue Cross of Maryland, Inc., 61 Md. App. 381 (1985); Bagwell v. Peninsula Regional Medical Center, 106 Md. App. 470 (1995) (Md. Ct. Spec. App., No. 1866, Sept. Term 1994), quoting Staggs)

“Provisions in policy manuals “may, if properly expressed and communicated to the employee, become contractual undertakings by the employer that are enforceable by the employee.””

“that limit the employer's discretion to terminate an indefinite employment or that set forth a required procedure for termination of such employment may, if properly expressed and communicated to the employee, become contractual undertakings by the employer that are enforceable by the employee.”

mdcourts.gov · mdcourts.gov

Report an error

Maryland does not recognize a separate cause of action for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; such allegations are pursued, if at all, as part of a breach-of-contract claim. (Magnetti v. University of Maryland, No. 2492, Sept. Term 2005 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2006), footnote; U.S. District Court, D. Md., No. 1:14-cv-00676, citing Ward v. 84 Lumber, 758 F. Supp. 335, 336-337 (D. Md. 1991))

“As an aside, we note that Maryland does not recognize a separate cause of action for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; the allegations making up such a claim should be pursued under a plaintiff’s breach of contract claim.”

“Maryland does not recognize a cause of action for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing where the employee in question is an at-will employee.”

mdcourts.gov · govinfo.gov

Report an error