Equal Pay for Equal Work: This bill would close various loopholes to address the fact that women in Maryland earn, on average just 85 cents for every dollar earned by men in comparable jobs, including the closing of the 'Employer Defense' loophole, and also prohibiting retaliation against sharing salary information.
Fair Scheduling Act of 2016: This bill will reform Maryland law to guarantee predictable schedules so workers can plan ahead to meet their responsibilities on and off the job; it also allows employees to be compensated for their time and flexibility. This critical legislation will incentivize employers to build stable, predictable, family-friendly schedules and prevents employers from destabilizing the lives of the lowest paid and most vulnerable workers and their families – more often than not, women.
Maryland Healthy Working Families Act: The proposed legislation, which was introduced for the first time in 2013, requires Maryland employers to allow workers to earn a certain number of annual paid sick and safe days. Employees would begin accruing hours from the start of employment but would not be allowed to use their paid sick time until the completion of a probationary period. The “safe time” component of the legislation requires employers to allow employees who have been victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault to use their accrued paid sick leave to care for their health after these incidents or to seek legal protections or new housing.
Stalking, Harassment, Misuse of Electronic Communication or Interactive Computer Service, Revenge Porn: Stalking can be a very scary form of intimate partner abuse. Prosecutors indicate the way stalking is defined makes it virtually impossible to obtain convictions. Updating and revising the laws of stalking, harassment and misuse of electronic communication will assist in holding perpetrators of these acts accountable criminally and increase safety for victims of domestic violence.
Rape Survivor Family Protection Act: 5% of rape victims of reproductive age (age 12-45) became pregnant as a result of rape, with the majority of pregnancies in adolescents. This bill would create a legal process for rape victims to terminate the parental rights of rapists when a child is conceived as result of rape. Victims would be required to meet a clear and convincing standard of evidence. This is the same standard used for other termination of parental rights cases – no more, no less.
Family and Medical Leave Act Insurance Program: The proposed legislation establishes a paid family and medical leave insurance program, which would operate, similar to unemployment insurance and social security. This program would create a state-run insurance fund that provides up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement for those that are caring for a new child, have a serious health condition, or are caring for a family member with a serious health condition. Rhode Island, New Jersey, and California already.