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Maryland's Paid Sick Leave Bill Heads to Governor's Desk


Last week, the Maryland General Assembly approved a bill that would require employers in the state with 15 or more full time employees to provide five days of paid sick leave to employees.  Businesses with less than 15 employees would be required to provide five unpaid sick and safe leave days.  Republican Governor Larry Hogan has dubbed the bill 'job killing' legislation and has stated he will veto it.  (As of this writing, the Governor has not taken any action on the bill).  

The Governor and some Republicans have argued that this bill will hurt small businesses and should not be so broad.  In fact, the Governor had pushed a competing proposal that would have changed the threshold and only required that employers with 50 or more employees to provide paid sick leave (rather than employers with 15 or more employees).  However, this plan would have provided tax incentives for smaller employers who offered paid sick leave to their employees.

Interesting to note that attempts to pass paid sick leave in Maryland have certainly been an uphill and protracted struggle that has stretched out over five years.  Prior paid sick leave legislation originally provided for seven days of paid sick leave (rather than the five days approved in this bill).  Those bills ultimately failed to gain the traction needed to become law.  However, with Democrats in control of the state legislature in Maryland, they were finally able to scrap together enough votes to approve this bill.  Of course, even if the Governor vetoes the bill (which is expected), Democrats have enough votes to override the veto.  However, given the legislature next convenes in January, that veto override could not happen until next year.  In essence, the Governor's veto of this bill will likely only stall the inevitable passage of this bill (assuming Democrats continue to vote in favor of the bill when the veto override vote next occurs).



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