Update Applicable to:	Effective Date
All Employers with at least 50 Employees	See Details Below

What happened?

On June 14, 2025, the Maryland Department of Labor (MDOL) reissued proposed regulations to implement the Maryland Economic Stabilization Act, which requires employers to provide 60 days’ written notice before certain mass layoffs or reductions in force (RIFs).

Overview:

Updates in the Proposed Regulations: the updates aim to clarify employer obligations, expand protections for remote workers, and strengthen enforcement tools. The public comment period closed on July 14, 2025, and final regulations are expected following review.

• Expanded Definitions for Virtual Work:

• Remote Worker: Employees with a permanent arrangement to work from an approved location outside the assigned workplace.

• Telework: Flexible agreements allowing work from alternative sites. The entire State of Maryland is treated as a single workplace for remote workers.

• MDOL Assistance Mechanisms:

• Removes the requirement for phone contact with employers.
  • Updates confidentiality language to focus on the nature of shared information.

• Enforcement Process:

• If a violation is suspected, MDOL must issue a written order detailing the issue and proposed penalties.
  • Employers have 15 business days to contest the order.
  • Contested cases are referred to the Office of Administrative Hearings.

• Other Regulatory Changes:

• A new provision formalizes the 60-day notice requirement.
  • Previously voluntary employer guidelines are now mandatory.
  • No changes to MDOL’s Rapid Response Program or workforce support services.

Source References

• Maryland DOL – Proposed Regulation – Subtitle 33 JOB SERVICE – 09.33.02 Economic Stabilization

Resources

• Maryland Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) and Other Dislocation Notices – Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning

This communication is intended solely for the purpose of conveying information. The present post might incorporate hyperlinks directing readers to websites managed by third-party entities. The inclusion of any links within this communication is meant to serve as points of reference and could encompass opinion articles from various law firms, articles from HR associations, official websites, news releases, and documents of government agencies, and other relevant third-party sources. Vensure has no authority over these external websites and bears no responsibility for their content. Furthermore, Vensure does not endorse the materials present on these websites. The contents of this communication should not be interpreted as legal advice or as a legal standpoint concerning specific facts or scenarios. Nor should it be deemed an exhaustive compilation of facts potentially pertinent to federal, state, or local laws. It is strongly advised that employers solicit legal guidance from an employment attorney when undertaking actions in response to any legal updates provided. This is due to the possibility of future alterations occurring in federal, state, and local laws, regulations, as well as the directives and guidelines issued by governing agencies. These changes may transpire at any given time, potentially rendering certain portions of the content within this update void or inaccurate.