Disclaimer: The content provided below is for informational purposes only and does not substitute legal advice.
Last updated April, 2026
Maryland employee handbook overview
When it comes to constructing your Maryland employee handbook, it is essential to include both state-specific and federal policies. Whether all of your employees are in Maryland or only a small number, you will require a Maryland-specific handbook to ensure that your employees are aware of the policies and rights provided by their state.
The necessary state policies for Maryland, federally required policies, and other discretionary policies are all listed below.
What should be included in a Maryland employee handbook?
Maryland Employee Handbook Overview
When it comes to constructing your Maryland employee handbook, it is essential to include both state-specific and federal policies. Whether all of your employees are in Maryland or only a small number, you will require a Maryland-specific handbook to ensure that your employees are aware of the policies and rights provided by their state.
The necessary state policies for Maryland, federally required policies, and other discretionary policies are all listed below.
What should be included in a Maryland Employee Handbook?
Every handbook should include Federal, State, and (if applicable) City-specific policies. Below are Maryland-specific policies that should be included in your handbook.
- Maryland Sick Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide their employees with either paid or unpaid leave, depending on the total number of employees in the company (not just Maryland employees).
- Maryland Final Paycheck Policy: Employers are required to provide the employee with their final paycheck in accordance with the timeline of when they would receive it had they remained employed.
- Maryland Court Attendance Leave: Employees are allowed to take unpaid leave to respond to a subpoena as a witness , or other proceedings the employee has a right to attend under the law.
- Maryland Flexible Leave Act Policy: Employees may take paid bereavement leave after the death of a family member, or paid leave to care for an ill family member.
- Maryland Voting Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide employees with paid leave for voting .
- Maryland Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide employees with unpaid leave to donate bone marrow or an organ to another person.
- Maryland Parental Leave Act Policy: Employers are required to provide unpaid leave to an employee for the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.
- Maryland Emergency Response Leave Policy: Members of the Maryland Civil Air Patrol are entitled to leave when called to service.
- Maryland Jury Duty Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide leave for employees summoned to jury duty service.
- Maryland Military Leave - When a close family member of an active-duty member of the military is deployed or returns from deployment outside the country, the employee’s family member is entitled to take leave on that day. The policy applies to companies with 50 or more employees.
- Maryland Meal Breaks - Retail employees who work at least four hours in a single shift are entitled to a 15-minute paid rest break. If a shift is longer than six hours, the employee will receive a 30-minute unpaid rest break. Minors receive a 30-minute rest break before five hours of continuous work.
City-specific policies that should be included in your Maryland Employee Handbook
Some states have cities or counties that require specific policies to be included for employees that are based there.
- Baltimore, MD Specific Policies
- Baltimore Lactation Accommodations Policy: Reasonable accommodations are required to be provided for nursing mothers in accordance with the “Ordinance”.
- Montgomery County, MD Specific Policies
- Montgomery County Sick and Safe Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide paid leave to employees for various reasons relating to health, safety, or family/childcare.
- Prince George’s County, MD Specific Policies
- Earned Sick and Safe Leave: Employees can accrue and use paid leave for absence connected to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Federal Policies
Don’t forget about the federal policies
There are policies that should be included in every handbook to comply with US labor and employment law. Many states require additional provisions. However, this list includes core federal requirements and best practices applicable to most businesses.
Core federal policies
- Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy Show me!
- Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure Show me!
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy Show me!
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) & Reasonable Accommodation Policy
- Military Service Leave (USERRA)
- Wage and Hour Compliance Policy (FSLA)
- At-Will Employment Notice Show me!
- Polices if you employ federal contractors (Pay Transparency Policy, Whistleblower Protection, Drug-free Workplace Policy)
Highly recommended policies
- Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
- Code of Conduct Policy
- Nursing Parents Policy
- Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics
- Disciplinary Procedures
- Use of Company Property
- Employee Classification and Pay Practices
- Health and Safety Policy
- Confidential Company Information
- Open Door Policy
- Receipt of Non-Harassment Policy
- Use of Communication and Computer Systems
- Workplace Searches and Inspections
Additional policies to include
- Industry-specific policies
- Sick Leave, Vacation Leave, PTO policy
- Company Vehicles Policy
- Punctuality and Attendance
- Benefits
- Working Schedule
- Employment Records
- Smoking
- Overtime
- Performance Reviews
- Social Media Policy
- Remote Work Policy
- Introductory Period Policy
- References
- Hiring Relatives and Significant Others
- Business Expense Reimbursement
Get all recommended policies from the free handbook builder.
Poster Requirements
Understanding labor law poster requirements can be a bit like trying to decode a complex puzzle. You need to comply with both state and federal requirements.
Why Should I Care About Displaying Posters?
You might be wondering why it's so important to display these posters in the first place. State and Federal laws mandate that employers must have up-to-date labor law posters conspicuously displayed for their employees. Failing to do so not only results in steep fines (up to $35,000 in federal fines and additional state fines) but also exposes you to real liability.
Consider this scenario: if an employee decides to bring a lawsuit against your company, and you don't have the required posters or they are outdated, you could face even more significant problems:
Statute of Limitations: Normally, there's a limited window within which an employee can file a lawsuit against you. However, if you didn't inform your employees of their rights through proper poster display, a court might decide that the statute of limitations doesn't apply.
Operating in Bad Faith: Courts may determine that you were intentionally withholding information from your employees, which could lead to a finding that you were operating in bad faith. This can substantially increase your liability.
What Are the Requirements for Displaying Labor Law Posters?
Labor law posters must be displayed at every physical location where you have employees, and they need to be conspicuously displayed for all to see.
- If you have a hybrid workplace with both in-person and remote employees, you'll need physical posters at your facilities and electronic distribution to your off-site workers.
- For fully remote companies, you can distribute posters electronically by sharing a permanent link to the appropriate posters.
- Some posters also need to be visible to job applicants, such as FMLA, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Employee Polygraph Protection posters, as per the guidance provided by the Department of Labor.
What Labor Law Posters Do I Need to Display?
You'll need both Federal and State labor law posters for each state where you have employees. The good news is that all the posters you need are provided for free by the federal government and state departments of labor. You've probably seen those convenient "all-in-one" laminated posters, but if you prefer, everything you need is also available as a free, printable document from the Maryland Department of Labor.
Federal Poster Requirements
Determining which federal posters you're required to display can be influenced by various factors, including your industry, the size of your company, benefits you provide and union affiliation.
The good news is that there's a handy tool to help you understand precisely which federal posters your company needs. You can use the Federal Poster Advisor tool to determine your specific federal poster requirements.
Maryland Labor Law Poster Requirements
You can refer to the Maryland Department of Labor for free, printable posters.
Download Maryland labor law posters here
How to create an Maryland Employee Handbook
An employee handbook isn't just a formality, it's the foundation of a well-run company. But getting it right means more than putting words on paper. Your handbook needs to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, and it needs to stay current as those laws change.
When it comes to building a legally sound, state-specific handbook, most companies face the same tough choice: hire an attorney to draft one from scratch, or try to do it yourself. The first option is expensive and time-consuming. The second is risky, especially if you're relying on generic, one-size-fits-all templates found online.
That's where Handbooks.io comes in.
Handbooks.io is an employee handbook builder trusted by many companies to create polished, fully compliant handbooks, without the legal fees or guesswork. Answer a short survey about your company, and a tailored handbook is generated in no time. It's everything you need to create, maintain, and distribute a professional employee handbook, all in one place. Let’s build this thing!
Get started on building your handbook
Creating a new handbook only takes a few minutes. And it’s easy. You can get started by answering a few interactive questions about your company. A few examples:
- How many employees do you have?
- Do you have employees in multiple states?
- Do you have an introductory period for new employees?
- Do you offer paid holidays?
- What is your payroll schedule?