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Maryland Labor and Employment Law Basics

Learn how to comply with Maryland work laws

By Emmet McMahan
Maryland labor and employment law basics allow employees to be paid what they deserve and employers to protect their businesses. The primary purpose of these laws is to level the playing field between employees and their employers.

MD labor laws grant specific rights to collective bargaining organizations, also know as labor unions. Federal laws also control the rights of laborers to organize and generally take precedence over Maryland's state labor laws. Specific classes of employees, such as domestic workers or agricultural laborers, are generally exempted from federal labor laws. Labor and employment law generally may be categorized into the following three groups:
  1. MD employment laws that deal with wages and benefits. Many states provide a minimum wage that is greater than the federal minimum wage. Maryland laws also may offer other protections to workers that are greater than those specified by federal law.
  2. Laws on displaying labor law posters. Maryland has specific requirements on the display of labor and employment laws in the workplace.
  3. Workers compensation insurance. Maryland also has laws that specify the amount of insurance that employers must carry in the event that their employees are injured at work.

 

Learn about Maryland employment laws that regulate minimum wage and overtime

According to Maryland labor law, businesses must pay their employees the federal minimum wage. Overtime laws generally control what an employee should be paid after 40 hours of work in the same week.
Try: The Maryland Division of Labor and Industry provides the specific laws that establish the minimum wage in Maryland. Maryland Peoples Law Library lists the minimum wage and other information on labor laws in Maryland.

Find out how to display posters on Maryland employment law

Maryland labor law posters keep employees informed of their rights and obligations under federal and state labor laws. Employers must display these posters in the workplace in a visible location where they are easy to read.
Try: National Safety Compliance lists the labor law information that Maryland employers must display in the workplace. LaborLawCenter provides detailed information on labor law posting requirements for Maryland.

Provide workers' compensation insurance required by Maryland employment law

Workers' compensation insurance in Maryland protects employees and their families in the event of injury or death of an employee while on the job. Government websites, insurance agencies and labor lawyers in Maryland commonly have basic information on workers compensation.
Try: Miller & Zois practices in Maryland and provides an overview of the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Statute. Cohen, Snyder, Eisenberg & Katzenberg have extensive information on workers compensation insurance in Maryland.

 

  • Maryland labor laws are guided by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. This federal legislation establishes minimum wages for most workers, along with specific exceptions. The FLSA was amended in 1974 to cover government employees.

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