Maryland's Paid Family Leave Bill

In Maryland, lawmakers passed SB 275 “The Time to Care Act of 2022”, making Maryland the tenth state to offer job protection for family leave. SB 275 grants Maryland employees up to 12 weeks off paid, job-protected leave for taking care of new children, sick loved-ones, or addressing the needs of military deployments (up to 24 weeks for a new parent with a serious health issue) starting 2025. The bill covers nearly all Maryland employees, including both full-time and part time workers, private and public sector workers, and with both small and large employers. Workers are paid up to 90% of their income, dependent on their income levels, with those making less receiving a higher percentage of their income. The benefits are dispensed through an insurance pool program that both employers and employees will contribute to. The Bill was passed through the General Assembly and was vetoed by Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan (R), who declined to support the measure, in part because of the bill’s definition of small businesses (fewer than 15 employees) and other criticisms (“no actuarial analysis, no viable plan for implementation, and leaves the smallest of small businesses vulnerable to insurmountable regulatory burdens”). The bill was approved through a Democratic supermajority, which overruled the Governor’s veto. Currently, only around 17% of U.S. workers have access to paid family leave, forcing many Americans to have to choose between income and family, putting the emotional and physical well-being of many at risk. As more young workers are turning their attention to expanding worker protections and a better work-life balance, the passage of this bill represents a big step forward for employee-oriented work reform.