Maryland Sick and Safe Leave Law
✓ Verified against official sources · September 1, 2026 Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-1301 et seq. (Healthy Working Families Act)
The short answer: Maryland's Healthy Working Families Act requires earned sick and safe leave — one hour per 30 hours worked — paid at employers with 15 or more employees and unpaid below, with a 40-hour annual earn cap and 64-hour use/balance caps.
Accrual rate
1 hour per 30 hours worked
Annual amount
Earn up to 40 hrs/yr; use and bank up to 64 hrs
Employers covered
All — paid at 15+ employees, unpaid at 14 or fewer
Penalty for non-compliance: Enforced by the Maryland Commissioner of Labor and Industry; violations can bring orders for the leave's value, treble damages in civil actions, and civil penalties.
Under the Healthy Working Families Act, Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-1304, employees accrue earned sick and safe leave at one hour per 30 hours worked. Employers with 15 or more employees provide it paid at the employee's normal wage; employers with 14 or fewer provide it unpaid. The statute's caps: an employer need not let an employee earn more than 40 hours in a year, use more than 64 hours in a year, bank more than 64 hours, or use leave during the first 106 calendar days.
Uses include the employee's or a family member's illness and preventive care, maternity/paternity needs, and safe-leave needs arising from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. The Commissioner of Labor and Industry enforces the Act, and a court can award up to treble the withheld value in a civil action.
For employersMaryland's caps are unusual: employees earn at most 40 hours a year but may use up to 64 and bank up to 64 — and new employees can be held to a 106-day waiting period before first use.
For employeesYou earn one hour per 30 worked — paid if your employer has 15 or more employees — usable for illness, family care, preventive care, and safe-leave needs after your first 106 days.
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Maryland FAQ
Which Maryland employers must pay for sick leave?
Employers with 15 or more employees pay it at the normal wage rate; those with 14 or fewer must still provide the leave, but it may be unpaid (§ 3-1304(a)).
Can Maryland employers make new hires wait to use leave?
Yes — an employer may bar use during the employee's first 106 calendar days, though accrual runs from the start.
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Official sources
Educational content, not legal advice. Rules change — every fact above was checked against the linked official sources on the date shown.
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How other states compare
| State | Accrual rate | Annual amount | Employers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hrs (under 15 employees) / 56 hrs (15+) | All employers — the cap varies at the 15-employee line |
| Arizona | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hours (15+ employees) / 24 hours (under 15) | All employers — the cap varies by size |
| California | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (alternative schedules allowed) | Use at least 40 hours / 5 days; accrual cap 80 hours / 10 days | Nearly all employers, regardless of size |
| Colorado | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year (+80-hour PHE supplement when declared) | All employers — full-time, part-time and temporary employees |
| Connecticut | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year; 40 hours carryover | 11+ employees now; every employer from Jan 1, 2027 |
| District of Columbia | 1 hour per 37 / 43 / 87 hours worked, by employer size | 7 days (100+) / 5 days (25–99) / 3 days (≤24) | All D.C. employers — tiered by headcount |
| Illinois | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period — usable for any purpose | Nearly all employers (school and park districts excluded) |
| Maine | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year — usable for any reason | More than 10 employees in Maine for 120+ days a year (non-seasonal) |
| Maryland | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Earn up to 40 hrs/yr; use and bank up to 64 hrs | All — paid at 15+ employees, unpaid at 14 or fewer |
| Massachusetts | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per calendar year | All — paid at 11+ employees, unpaid below |
| Michigan | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (frontloading allowed) | Use up to 72 hrs/yr — 40 hrs at small businesses (≤10 workers) | All employers with one or more employees |
| Minnesota | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year; bank up to 80 hours with carryover | All employers with one or more employees |
| Missouri | None — the mandate was repealed effective Aug 28, 2025 | No state requirement — employer policy controls | No Missouri employer is required to provide sick leave |
| Nebraska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked, after 80 hours of employment | 40 hrs (11–19 employees) / 56 hrs (20+) | 11+ employees — employers with 10 or fewer are exempt |
| Nevada | 0.01923 hours per hour worked (≈1 per 52; frontloading allowed) | ≈40 hours per benefit year for full-time work — any purpose | Private employers — under-50-employee hardship and other carve-outs |
| New Jersey | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 40 hours advanced up front) | Up to 40 hours per benefit year; 40 hours carryover | All New Jersey employers, regardless of size |
| New Mexico | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 64 hours frontloaded Jan 1) | Use up to 64 hours per year; 64-hour carryover | All private employers, regardless of size |
| New York | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 56 hrs paid (100+) / 40 paid (5–99) / 40 unpaid (0–4, ≤$1M income) | Every NY employer — the tier sets paid vs. unpaid and the cap |
| Oregon | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 1-1/3 per 40) | Up to 40 hours per year | All — paid at 10+ employees, unpaid under 10 |
| Rhode Island | 1 hour per 35 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year | Paid at 18+ employees; smaller employers provide unpaid leave |
| Vermont | 1 hour per 52 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period | All Vermont employers |
| Washington | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | No annual cap — leave is usable as accrued; 40-hour carryover | All employers covered by the Minimum Wage Act |
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