Fall is in full swing in the mid-Atlantic. The change of season also brought a series of new laws that went into effect in Maryland on October 1, 2025. Below are the three key employment laws that employers should be aware of and take steps to review and revise applicable policies and procedures to ensure compliance.
State Parental Leave Laws
In the Spring of 2025, two new laws were signed to address Maryland’s paid and unpaid leave laws. Specifically, Gov. Wes Moore signed HB 102 on May 6, 2025, which delays Maryland’s paid family and medical leave program – marking the third time the implementation of the program has been delayed since it was originally passed in 2022. Gov. Moore also signed SB 785 to exclude an employer from the state’s unpaid parental leave requirements if the employer is covered by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act for the applicable year. Both laws went into effect on October 1, 2025.
Paid Family Leave
The key provisions of the Paid Family Leave law – which provides covered employees paid leave benefits for up to 12 weeks for a covered reason – remain unchanged, including the covered reasons for leave, the duration of leave, and the employer option to use private insurance plans to cover paid family and medical leave benefits. The revisions are focused on the implementation dates, the definitions section, contribution rates, and the administration of benefits.
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