New hiring laws in Maryland for 2027: FAMLI contributions, the Worker Freedom Act and what employers do next

As of October 2026, the Maryland laws that change hiring in 2026 and 2027 are the Maryland Worker Freedom Act (effective October 1, 2026), which bars refusing to hire applicants who decline employer meetings on religious or political matters and requires a notice to each new employee on hiring, and the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, whose contributions begin January 1, 2027 at 0.9% of wages. The 2026 session also raised child labor penalties (June 1, 2026) and voided some non-competes for licensed architects (October 1, 2026).

Every item below is an enacted chapter with its effective date from the General Assembly's bill page, or a date set by the FAMLI program. The standing checklist (registration, wage ranges in every posting, the pay notice at hire, credit check limits, all-party recording consent) is in our Maryland hiring hub; this page covers what is new.

Which Maryland hiring laws changed in 2026, and what changes in 2027?

What does the Maryland Worker Freedom Act require of employers?

Two things touch hiring. Chapter 221 of 2026 (SB 417), approved April 28, 2026 and effective October 1, 2026, adds § 3-718 to the Labor and Employment Article. An employer or its agent may not "fail or refuse to hire an applicant for employment as a result of the applicant's refusal to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting during which the employer communicates the opinion of the employer regarding religious matters or political matters," and may not discipline or threaten employees who decline such meetings. The act does not apply to religious and political organizations, certain educational and training programs, training required by federal or state law (such as civil rights or safety training), or a governmental unit holding new employee orientation.

Second, each employer must post the Commissioner of Labor and Industry's poster and provide the notice "to each new employee on hiring." The act gives the Commissioner until November 1, 2026 to publish the poster and model notice in English and other common languages, and failure to give notice counts as an aggravating factor when relief is awarded. After mediation fails, the Commissioner may assess civil penalties of up to $10,000 for an initial violation and $25,000 for a subsequent one, plus reinstatement, back pay and fees. Add the model notice to onboarding packets as soon as it appears, and make sure recruiters never tie an offer to attending such a meeting.

When do Maryland FAMLI contributions start, and what notices are required?

January 1, 2027. HB 102 (Chapter 363 of 2025) delayed the program so that contributions start January 1, 2027 and benefits begin by January 3, 2028; the FAMLI program's program page now gives January 1, 2028 for benefits. Its contributions page says the Department of Labor "set the initial contribution rate at 0.9% of wages up to the Social Security wage cap," split "equally between employers and employees (0.45% each)," for wages paid January 1 through December 31, 2027. Employers with fewer than 15 total employees, counting out-of-state staff, remit only 50% of the rate and may withhold it from pay. The first payment, for January to March 2027 wages, is due April 30, 2027, and the total rate can never exceed 1.2%.

Notices follow a schedule. The program's employer page says every employer must notify employees "starting July 2027 (six months before benefits become available)," "when an employee is hired," once a year, and when an employee asks for or is known to need qualifying leave. Employers that collect the employee share must also give notice "one pay period before payroll deductions begin"; with deductions starting in January 2027, that notice will fall in December 2026 for most payroll calendars. Registration is required for any employer with at least one Maryland employee, and only an authorized officer can register.

What did Maryland change about child labor penalties?

Chapter 167 of 2026 (SB 831), effective June 1, 2026, lets the Commissioner of Labor and Industry assess civil penalties for specified child labor violations: up to $16,035 per violation, and up to $72,876 for willfully or repeatedly employing a minor in violation of the law, with both amounts indexed to inflation from July 15, 2027. The Department of Legislative Services' 90 Day Report notes the amounts are "closely aligned with those under FLSA." Retailers, restaurants and staffing agencies hiring teenagers should check work permits and hours before the first shift.

Which Maryland non-compete changes take effect in October 2026?

A narrow one for architects. Maryland already voids non-competes for employees earning 150% or less of the state minimum wage, licensed health care providers giving direct patient care who earn $350,000 or less, and licensed veterinary practitioners and technicians. HB 1016 (Chapter 301 of 2026), effective October 1, 2026, adds licensed architects whose employer had more than 30 employees, mostly working in Maryland, on the architect's first day, but by the time it seeks to enforce the clause has its principal place of business outside Maryland or no longer has most employees working in the state, as the 90 Day Report summarizes. Recruiters hiring architects from relocating firms should ask for the agreement and check it against this rule.

What else took effect in 2026?

• Medical cannabis and fire and rescue employees. SB 439 (Chapter 183, October 1, 2026) bars employers of fire and rescue public safety employees from discriminating based on a valid medical cannabis certification or a related positive test, while still allowing rules against impairment on duty.
• Child care background checks. HB 281 (Chapter 266, effective on enactment April 28, 2026) updates how national and state criminal history checks of child care staff are requested and shared, to keep Maryland agencies receiving FBI checks.

What did not change in Maryland in 2026?

• Wage ranges in postings are still required of every employer; see the Maryland pay transparency guide.
• Salary history and criminal history timing are unchanged; see the Maryland salary history ban and Maryland ban-the-box.
• AI in hiring. The AI bill enacted in 2026 (SB 597, Chapter 633) created a Maryland AI Partnership in the University System, not employer rules. The 2020 facial recognition consent law still applies; see Maryland facial recognition consent in hiring and AI hiring laws by state.
• E-Verify remains voluntary; see E-Verify requirements in Maryland.

What should Maryland employers do before January 1, 2027?

1. Register with FAMLI if you have not, through an authorized officer, and decide how much of the 0.45% employee share you will withhold.
2. Send the pre-deduction notice one pay period before the first January 2027 deduction.
3. Add the Worker Freedom Act notice to onboarding when the Commissioner publishes it (due by November 1, 2026), and hang the poster.
4. Brief recruiters and managers that attendance at meetings on religion or politics can never be a condition of an offer.
5. Plan for April 30, 2027, when the first FAMLI quarterly report and payment are due, and for the July 2027 employee notice.
6. Check minors' permits and hours before seasonal hiring.

What does this mean for staffing agencies in Maryland?

Agencies that employ their temporary workers register for FAMLI, withhold and remit contributions for them and give them the FAMLI and Worker Freedom Act notices at hire, the same as any other employer. The agency counts all of its employees, including out-of-state staff, when deciding whether it is a small employer. Wage range postings, which Maryland requires of every employer, still apply to postings an agency places on a client's behalf, as our pay transparency guide explains. See our Maryland staffing agency guide for licensing.