Short answer. 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. Employees who regularly work fewer than 12 hours a week are not covered. Up to 40 hours of accrual a year; the employer may cap the total balance at 64 hours. Use may begin: new employees may have to wait 106 days from the date of hire to begin using leave.
At a glance
- Law
- Maryland Healthy Working Families Act
- In effect
- February 11, 2018.
- Accrual
- 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. Employees who regularly work fewer than 12 hours a week are not covered.
- Yearly limit
- Up to 40 hours of accrual a year; the employer may cap the total balance at 64 hours.
- Use may begin
- New employees may have to wait 106 days from the date of hire to begin using leave.
- Agency
- Maryland Department of Labor
Rules by employer size
| Employer size | Rate | Yearly limit | Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 or more employees (paid) | 1 hr per 30 | 40 hrs | Yes |
| 14 or fewer employees (unpaid) | 1 hr per 30 | 40 hrs | Can be unpaid |
Example with dates
Suppose someone at an employer in the "14 or fewer employees (unpaid)" group starts on Monday, January 11, 2027 and works 36 hours every week. At 1 hour per 30 hours worked, that's 1.20 hours a week, and the first year comes to 40 hours, with the accrual cap of 40 hours reached on Monday, September 6, 2027. The latest an employer could hold off use is Tuesday, April 27, 2027.
- By Sunday, April 11, 2027: 14.40 hours
- By Sunday, July 11, 2027: 30 hours
- By Tuesday, January 11, 2028: 40 hours
Your own figures: open the calculator set to Maryland.
What the time covers
The employee's own or a family member's mental or physical illness, injury or condition, and absences due to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking committed against the employee or a family member.
Unused hours at year end
Up to 40 hours of earned, unused leave carries over to the next year, within the 64-hour total.
Front-loading instead of accrual
Allowed: the employer may award 40 hours, paid or unpaid as applicable, at the beginning of the year.
Smaller employers and who is covered
Employers with 14 or fewer employees must provide earned sick and safe leave, but it can be unpaid.
Notices, posters and statements
For foreseeable leave, the employer may require reasonable advance notice of no more than 7 days.
City and county rules
Yes, local paid sick leave ordinances apply in parts of the state; an employer there follows whichever rule gives employees more. The official page: Healthy Working Families Act FAQs (Montgomery County).
Worth knowing
The state FAQ notes that only Montgomery County enacted a sick and safe leave law before January 1, 2017.
Official sources
- Maryland Healthy Working Families Act FAQs (Maryland Department of Labor) (checked November 2026)
Rules as published on the pages above, checked November 2026. General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. A city ordinance, union contract or written policy can give employees more.
Questions employers ask
How much paid sick leave do employees earn in Maryland?
1 hour for every 30 hours worked. Employees who regularly work fewer than 12 hours a week are not covered. Up to 40 hours of accrual a year; the employer may cap the total balance at 64 hours.
When can a new employee start using sick leave in Maryland?
New employees may have to wait 106 days from the date of hire to begin using leave.
Does unused sick time carry over to the next year in Maryland?
Up to 40 hours of earned, unused leave carries over to the next year, within the 64-hour total.
Can a Maryland employer front-load sick leave instead of tracking accrual?
Allowed: the employer may award 40 hours, paid or unpaid as applicable, at the beginning of the year.
Do small employers in Maryland have to provide it?
Employers with 14 or fewer employees must provide earned sick and safe leave, but it can be unpaid.
What can Maryland sick leave be used for?
The employee's own or a family member's mental or physical illness, injury or condition, and absences due to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking committed against the employee or a family member.
All states: paid sick leave laws by state · Maine · Michigan