Maryland Record Keeping Laws
Regarding employment and payroll data, under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and others, you must:
For at least 3 years: keep payroll records, certificates, agreements, notices, collective bargaining agreements, employment contracts, and sales and purchase records. Also keep completed copies of each employee’s I-9 for three years after they are hired. If the employee works longer than three years, hold on to the form for at least one year after the employee leaves.
For at least 2 years: Keep basic employment and earning records like timecards, wage-rate tables, shipping and billing records, and records of additions to or deductions from wages. Also keep the records that show why you may pay different wages to employees of different sexes, such as wage rates, job evaluations, seniority and merit systems, and collective bargaining agreements.
For at least 1 year: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says employers should keep all employment records for at least one year from the employee’s date of termination.
Other record-keeping laws that may apply to you:
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, you need to keep records of job-related injuries and illnesses for five years. But some records, like those covering toxic substance exposure, have to be kept for 30 years.
You must keep files of benefit plans and seniority and merit systems while they are in effect and for at least a year after they end. You must also retain summary descriptions and annual reports of benefits plans for six years.
If your company is covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, you must also retain relevant records of leaves, notices, policies, and more for three years.
Facial recognition technology
Employers cannot use facial recognition technology to create a facial template as part of the interview process unless the applicant agrees in writing. Facial recognition technology is defined as a tool that analyzes facial features to recognize or track them in images and videos.
FAQs
State Minimum Wage
Will Maryland raise minimum wage? ›
In May 2023, however, the General Assembly passed the Fair Wage Act of 2023, accelerating the schedule so that the minimum wage will now be $15 effective on January 1, 2024.
What are the break laws in Maryland 2024? ›
The only break regulations Maryland requires are for the retail industry. The Healthy Retail Employee Act requires retail establishments with 50 or more retail employees to provide the following breaks: 15-minute breaks for 4-6 consecutive hours of work. 30-minute breaks for 6-8 consecutive hours of work.
How many hours can a salaried employee be forced to work in Maryland? ›
In Maryland, when a salaried employee that qualifies for overtime works more than 40 hours in a single workweek, they'll receive overtime pay at a rate of one and a half times their usual wage.
What will the Maryland minimum wage be in 2024? ›
What is the Minimum Wage in Maryland? As of January 1, 2024, Maryland has set a new benchmark by increasing the statewide minimum wage to $15.00 per hour for employers of all sizes, up from the previous rate of $13.25 per hour.
Will Maryland state employees get a raise in 2024? ›
All state workers covered by an AFSCME contract will receive a cost of living adjustment of 3%, effective July 1, 2024. All those eligible for a step increase will receive one in the upcoming fiscal year also starting July 1, 2024.
Is it illegal to work 8 hours without a break in Maryland? ›
Unless an employee works in a retail establishment and meets the requirements of the Healthy Retail Employee Act, there is no law requiring an employer provide breaks, including lunch breaks, unless the employee is under the age of 18. Minors under 18 must receive a 30-minute break for every 5 hours of work.
Does PTO have to be paid out in Maryland? ›
The state does not require employers to pay employees for accrued time off. However, Maryland requires employers to pay employees for unused vacation time if the employer does not have a forfeiture policy that says otherwise (if the employer's established policy or employment contract is silent on this matter).
How many hours can you legally work in Maryland? ›
There is no limit to the number of hours an adult employee can work under Maryland or federal law. As long as there is no employment contract or company policy in place that states otherwise, an employer can set an employee's minimum and maximum hours and change them at any time at her or his sole discretion.
What is a good hourly wage in Maryland? ›
As of Jun 14, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Hourly in Maryland is $24.03 an hour. While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $41.06 and as low as $16.56, the majority of Hourly salaries currently range between $24.28 (25th percentile) to $27.07 (75th percentile) in Maryland.
An analysis of the living wage (as calculated in December 2022 and reflecting a compensation being offered to an individual in 2023), compiling geographically specific expenditure data for food, childcare, health care, housing, transportation, and other necessities, finds that: The living wage in the United States is ...
Is 70k a good salary in Maryland? ›
$38,800 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $67,937 is the 90th percentile.
Is 32 hours full time in Maryland? ›
Is 32 hours considered full time in Maryland? In Maryland, full-time employment is 30 or more hours per week, or at least 130 hours per month.
Can I waive my lunch break in Maryland? ›
In Maryland, while there is no state-mandated requirement for employers to provide lunch breaks to adult employees, there is a provision for a “meal break waiver” in certain circ*mstances. This waiver is particularly relevant in industries or jobs where continuous presence is essential, and breaks may disrupt workflow.
Is it illegal to not pay overtime in Maryland? ›
Simply put, Maryland overtime laws mandate that all employers pay 1.5 times the regular wage for hours worked over 40 a week. It applies to all types of employment and industries, with some exceptions, including certain salaried employees, workers in specific care institutions, and recreational establishments.
Will Maryland state employees get a raise in 2025? ›
The increases include a 3% salary increase for most employees effective July 1, 2024, as well as a one-step increment on the salary scale in fiscal 2025. Additionally, employees who have been employed continuously since June 30, 2019, would earn a second step increase on the salary scale.
What states are going to $15 minimum wage? ›
1, seven states (along with the District of Columbia) now have minimum wages of at least $15: Washington, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. An additional six states have approved gradual increases to $15 an hour.
What state has the highest minimum wage in 2024? ›
As of January 1, 2024, the District of Columbia had the highest minimum wage in the U.S., at 17 U.S. dollars per hour. This was followed by Washington, which had 16.28 U.S. dollars per hour as the state minimum wage.
Is it illegal to pay less than minimum wage in Maryland? ›
The minimum wage is the minimum amount employers in Maryland must pay their employees. It is illegal for an employer to pay less than the minimum wage set out by Maryland statute. “Maryland's minimum wage is gradually increasing to $15 per hour.”
