Maryland
Be in the Know: New Rules on Leave
Maryland requires paid medical leave (PML) and paid family leave (PFL) income replacement benefits for eligible workers who need time off from work for qualifying reasons.
Coverage and cost
Learn more about your state rules and eligibility.
Covered employers
All employers employing at least one individual in the state of Maryland are covered except the federal government, tribes, and self-employed.
Coverage options
Employers may use the state or a private plan. The Maryland Department of Labor must approve private plans.
Cost
- On or before June 1, 2023, the Secretary of Labor will set the total rate of contribution including employee level contributions.
- Employers employing fewer than 15 employees are not required to pay the employer contribution.
Employee eligibility
An employee who has worked at least 680 hours in the 12-month period immediately preceding the date leave begins. Self-employed individuals may elect to participate in the program.
Leave reasons
Family, bonding, medical and qualifying military exigency.
Job protection
Employers must provide continuation of health insurance benefits and restore an employee to an equivalent position of employment upon expiration of leave unless certain limited circumstances apply (such as employer has reason to terminate for cause or denial of restoration is necessary to prevent substantial and grievous economic injury to employer’s operations and the employer follows certain procedures).
Other protections and provisions
Intermittent leave must be taken in increments no less than 4 hours.
Leave runs concurrently with FMLA leave, but employees must exhaust all employer-provided leave not required by law before receiving Paid Leave benefits.
Benefits
Employees receive up to 90% of their average weekly wage on a sliding scale. 2025 maximum weekly benefit = $1,000.
12 weeks of paid leave per benefit year; however, when an employee needs leave for both the birth or placement of a child and the employee's own serious health condition in the same benefit year, the employee may be eligible for up to an additional 12 weeks of paid leave benefits.
Timeline and key dates
- October 1, 2023 contributions for the program begins.
- January 1, 2025 benefits will become available to employees.
How Unum can help
Unum is committed to working toward solutions to assist our clients with employees in Maryland. We will provide updates on our offering as more information about the program becomes available.
Have questions?
Reach out to our sales team to learn more about Unum’s state PFML and absence management solutions.