Paid Sick Leave in Maryland: What You Need to Know

Are your employees entitled to paid sick leave? Learn everything you need to know about paid sick leave law updates in Maryland.

In recent years, many social and political activists have demanded that lawmakers make paid sick leave available to all employees. In light of the rapidly changing state and local laws governing paid sick leave, many employers are unaware of their legal obligations and, accordingly, maintain sick leave policies that are out of date and non-compliant. This topic will help employers to understand whether their employees are entitled to paid sick leave and, if so, what rules govern the accrual and use of the sick leave. Employers will learn how to: (1) Identify common mistakes in sick leave policies that make employers legally vulnerable, and how to fix those mistakes; (2) Control costs associated with employee abuse of sick leave; and (3) Tackle advanced sick leave topics such as the use of sick leave during FMLA and how to craft multi-jurisdictional sick leave policies.

Learning Objectives

You will be able to describe when employees are entitled to paid sick leave in Maryland.
You will be able to identify how to keep legally compliant records of employee accrual and use of sick leave.
You will be able to recognize employee abuse of sick leave and how to stop it.
You will be able to discuss best practices for creating legally compliant sick leave policies.

Speaker and Presenter Information

Douglas W. Desmarais, Esq.

Partner in the office of Smith & Downey, P.A

Practice emphasizes all aspects of labor and employer/employee relations
Extensive experience representing clients before federal and state courts across the country, as well as before government agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Editor and co-author of the Model Jury Instructions for Employment Litigation
Past chair of the Sexual Harassment Subcommittee, American Bar Association Section on Litigation
Conducts regular seminars and workshops on human resources law, including sexual harassment, wage and hour issues, and the interaction between the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act
J.D. degree, The University of Maryland School, LL.M in Labor Law, Georgetown University School of Law; Admitted to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia

Can be reached at [email protected] or (410) 321-9348

Kerstin M. Miller

Kerstin M. Miller

Attorney in the office of Smith & Downey, P.A

Practice emphasizes all aspects of labor and employer/employee relations
Extensive experience representing clients before federal and state courts across the country, as well as before government agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Author of numerous articles for the Maryland State Bar Labor & Employment newsletter
Board member of the Chesapeake Human Resources Association, the largest SHRM chapter in Maryland
Conducts regular seminars and workshops on human resources law, including sexual harassment, race and age discrimination, wage and hour issues, and leave laws
J.D. degree,The University of Maryland School of Law
Admitted to practice law in Maryland

Can be reached at [email protected] or (410) 321-5864