Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1548 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb1548
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 1548
8	8	K3, P4, L6 5lr3625
9	9	SB 214/23 – FIN
10	10	By: Delegate Conaway
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 25, 2025
12	12	Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Employment – Harassment and Intimidation – Reporting 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of establishing requirements related to the reporting of incidents of 3
21	21	employee harassment and intimidation, including provisions regarding the reporting 4
22	22	of incidents by employees to employers, the reporting of incidents by employers to 5
23	23	the Commissioner of Labor and Industry, the creation of a reporting form, and the 6
24	24	establishment of an electronic tip program; establishing that certain information 7
25	25	shared in the reporting of incidents of employee harassment or intimidation is 8
26	26	confidential; and generally relating to harassment and intimidation in employment. 9
27	27
28	28	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
29	29	Article – Labor and Employment 11
30	30	Section 5–101(a) through (d) and (h) 12
31	31	Annotated Code of Maryland 13
32	32	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
33	33
34	34	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
35	35	Article – Labor and Employment 16
36	36	Section 5–801 17
37	37	Annotated Code of Maryland 18
38	38	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
39	39
40	40	BY adding to 20
41	41	Article – Labor and Employment 21
42	42	Section 5–1301 through 5–1305 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 13. Workplace 22
43	43	Psychological Safety” 23
44	44	Annotated Code of Maryland 24
45	45	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 25
46	46
47	47	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 26
48	48	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 27 2 HOUSE BILL 1548
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	Article – Labor and Employment 1
53	53
54	54	5–101. 2
55	55
56	56	(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 3
57	57
58	58	(b) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. 4
59	59
60	60	(c) (1) “Employee” means, except as provided in § 5–401 of this title, an 5
61	61	individual whom an employer employs, for a wage or other compensation, in the business 6
62	62	of the employer. 7
63	63
64	64	(2) “Employee” includes: 8
65	65
66	66	(i) an individual whom a governmental unit employs; 9
67	67
68	68	(ii) an individual who is licensed as a taxicab driver and leases or 10
69	69	rents a taxicab from a person who operates or owns a taxicab business in Baltimore City; 11
70	70
71	71	(iii) an individual who is employed for part–time or temporary help 12
72	72	by a governmental unit or person who engages in a business that directly employs 13
73	73	individuals to provide part–time or temporary help to another governmental unit or person; 14
74	74	and 15
75	75
76	76	(iv) an individual who performs work for a governmental unit or 16
77	77	person to whom the individual is provided by another governmental unit or person who 17
78	78	engages in a business that directly employs individuals to provide part–time or temporary 18
79	79	help. 19
80	80
81	81	(d) (1) “Employer” means: 20
82	82
83	83	(i) except as provided in § 5–401 of this title, a person who is 21
84	84	engaged in commerce, industry, trade, or other business in the State and employs at least 22
85	85	one employee in that business; or 23
86	86
87	87	(ii) a public body. 24
88	88
89	89	(2) “Employer” includes: 25
90	90
91	91	(i) a person who operates or owns a taxicab business in Baltimore 26
92	92	City and leases or rents a taxicab to a licensed taxicab driver, to provide services to the 27
93	93	public; 28
94	94
95	95	(ii) a governmental unit or person who engages in a business that 29
96	96	directly employs individuals to provide part–time or temporary help to another 30
97	97	governmental unit or person; and 31 HOUSE BILL 1548 3
98	98
99	99
100	100
101	101	(iii) a governmental unit or person who contracts directly with 1
102	102	another governmental unit or person who engages in a business that directly employs 2
103	103	individuals to provide part–time or temporary help to another governmental unit or person. 3
104	104
105	105	(h) “Public body” means: 4
106	106
107	107	(1) a governmental unit; 5
108	108
109	109	(2) a public or quasi–public corporation of the State; 6
110	110
111	111	(3) a school district in the State or any unit of the district; or 7
112	112
113	113	(4) a special district in the State or any unit of the district. 8
114	114
115	115	5–801. 9
116	116
117	117	The penalties in this subtitle do not apply to: 10
118	118
119	119	(1) a public body; OR 11
120	120
121	121	(2) A VIOLATION OF SUBTITLE 13 OF THIS TITLE. 12
122	122
123	123	SUBTITLE 13. WORKPLACE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. 13
124	124
125	125	5–1301. 14
126	126
127	127	(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 15
128	128	INDICATED. 16
129	129
130	130	(B) “ELECTRONIC COMMUNICAT ION” MEANS A COMMUNICATIO N 17
131	131	TRANSMITTED BY MEANS OF AN ELECTRONIC DEV ICE, INCLUDING A TELEPHON E, 18
132	132	CELLULAR PHONE , COMPUTER , OR PAGER. 19
133	133
134	134	(C) (1) “HARASSMENT OR INTIMID ATION” MEANS INTENTIONAL 20
135	135	CONDUCT, INCLUDING ORAL , PHYSICAL, OR WRITTEN CONDUCT O R INTENTIONAL 21
136	136	ELECTRONIC COMMUNICA TION THAT CREATES A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRON MENT BY 22
137	137	SUBSTANTIALLY INTERF ERING WITH AN EMPLOY EE’S BENEFITS, OPPORTUNITIES , 23
138	138	OR PERFORMANCE , OR WITH AN EMPLOYEE ’S PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL –BEING AND IS: 24
139	139
140	140	(I) MOTIVATED BY AN ACTU AL OR PERCEIVED 25
141	141	CHARACTERISTIC OF AN EMPLOYEE, INCLUDING RA CE, NATIONAL ORIGIN , MARITAL 26
142	142	STATUS, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION , GENDER IDENTITY , RELIGION, ANCESTRY, 27
143	143	PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES , SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS , OR PHYSICAL OR MENTA L 28
144	144	ABILITY OR DISABILIT Y; AND 29 4 HOUSE BILL 1548
145	145
146	146
147	147
148	148	(II) THREATENING OR SERIO USLY INTIMIDATING . 1
149	149
150	150	(2) “HARASSMEN T OR INTIMIDATION ” INCLUDES: 2
151	151
152	152	(I) THE HIRING OF INCOMP ETENT SUBORDINATES ; 3
153	153
154	154	(II) THE ASSIGNMENT OF UN SUITABLE, INAPPROPRIATE , OR 4
155	155	OFFENSIVE TASKS ; 5
156	156
157	157	(III) THE ASSIGNMENT OF AN EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD ; 6
158	158
159	159	(IV) THE SABOTAGE OF AN E MPLOYEE’S WORK; 7
160	160
161	161	(V) THE PUBLIC DISCIPLIN ING OR REPRIMANDING OF AN 8
162	162	EMPLOYEE IN A MANNER THAT CAN BE SEEN OR HEARD BY AN EMPLOYEE ’S 9
163	163	COLLEAGUES , CUSTOMERS , OR CLIENTS; AND 10
164	164
165	165	(VI) THE TAKING OF CREDIT FOR ANOTHER EMPLOYEE ’S WORK. 11
166	166
167	167	(D) “TIP PROGRAM” MEANS THE ELECTRONIC TIP PROGRAM CREATED BY 12
168	168	THE COMMISSIONER UNDER § 5–1303(A) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 13
169	169
170	170	(E) “VICTIM OF HARASSMENT OR INTIMIDATION REPO RTING FORM” MEANS 14
171	171	THE FORM CREATED BY THE COMMISSIONER UNDER § 5–1302(D) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 15
172	172
173	173	5–1302. 16
174	174
175	175	(A) AN EMPLOYEE WHO WITNE SSES OR OTHERWISE HAS KNOWLEDGE OF AN 17
176	176	INCIDENT OF HARASSME NT OR INTIMIDATION S HALL REPORT THE INCI DENT: 18
177	177
178	178	(1) TO THE EMPLOYER IN AC CORDANCE WITH THE RE PORTING 19
179	179	PROCEDURES ESTABLISH ED BY THE EMPLOYER ; 20
180	180
181	181	(2) TO THE COMMISSIONER USING TH E VICTIM OF HARASSME NT OR 21
182	182	INTIMIDATION REPORTI NG FORM; OR 22
183	183
184	184	(3) THROUGH THE TIP PROGR AM. 23
185	185
186	186	(B) IF AN EMPLOYER RECEIV ES A REPORT OF AN IN CIDENT OF HARASSMENT 24
187	187	OR INTIMIDATION , THE EMPLOYER SHALL REPORT THE INC IDENT TO THE 25
188	188	COMMISSIONER USING TH E VICTIM OF HARASSME NT OR INTIMIDATION R EPORTING 26
189	189	FORM. 27 HOUSE BILL 1548 5
190	190
191	191
192	192
193	193	(C) THE FOLLOWING PERSONS MAY REPORT AN INCIDE NT OF HARASSMENT 1
194	194	OR INTIMIDATION TO T HE COMMISSIONER OR THE E MPLOYER OF THE VICTI M USING 2
195	195	THE VICTIM OF HARASS MENT OR INTIMIDATION REPORTING FORM : 3
196	196
197	197	(1) THE EMPLOYEE AGAINST WHOM THE HARASSMENT OR 4
198	198	INTIMIDATION WAS COM MITTED; 5
199	199
200	200	(2) ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WHO WITNESSED THE HARASS MENT OR 6
201	201	INTIMIDATION; OR 7
202	202
203	203	(3) ANY OTHER PERSON WHO HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THE HARASSMENT 8
204	204	OR INTIMIDATION . 9
205	205
206	206	(D) (1) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CR EATE A STANDARD VICT IM OF 10
207	207	HARASSMENT OR INTIMIDATION REPORTI NG FORM. 11
208	208
209	209	(2) THE VICTIM OF HARASSM ENT OR INTIMIDATION REPORTING 12
210	210	FORM SHALL ALLOW FOR THE INCLUSION OF : 13
211	211
212	212	(I) THE IDENTITY OF THE VICTIM AND, IF KNOWN, THE 14
213	213	ALLEGED PERPETRATOR ; 15
214	214
215	215	(II) AN INDICATION OF THE EMPLOYMENT POSITION OF THE 16
216	216	VICTIM AND, IF KNOWN, THE ALLEGED PERPETRA TOR; 17
217	217
218	218	(III) A DESCRIPTION OF THE HARASSMENT OR INTIMI DATION 18
219	219	ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED , INCLUDING ANY RELEVA NT STATEMENTS 19
220	220	MADE BY THE ALLEGED PERPETRATOR OR ONGOI NG PATTERNS OF HARAS SMENT OR 20
221	221	INTIMIDATION; 21
222	222
223	223	(IV) AN INDICATION OF THE LOCATION WHERE THE 22
224	224	HARASSMENT OR INTIMI DATION IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED ; 23
225	225
226	226	(V) THE DESCRIPTION OF ANY NEGATIVE PSYC HOLOGICAL 24
227	227	EFFECTS NOTED BY THE PERSON SUBMITTING TH E FORM DUE TO THE AL LEGED 25
228	228	HARASSMENT OR INTIMI DATION, INCLUDING POSSIBLY R ELATED PHYSICAL 26
229	229	EFFECTS; 27
230	230
231	231	(VI) THE DESCRIPTION OF ANY REQUEST FOR P SYCHOLOGICAL 28
232	232	SERVICES INITIATED B Y THE V ICTIM OF THE ALLEGED HARASSMENT OR 29
233	233	INTIMIDATION OR THE VICTIM’S FAMILY, IF KNOWN; AND 30
234	234	6 HOUSE BILL 1548
235	235
236	236
237	237	(VII) INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FILL OUT AND SUBM IT THE 1
238	238	FORM. 2
239	239
240	240	(3) EACH EMPLOYER SHALL P OST IN A PLACE ACCES SIBLE TO ALL 3
241	241	EMPLOYEES NOTICE OF THE AVAILABILITY AND PURPOSE OF THE VICTIM OF 4
242	242	HARASSMENT OR INTIMI DATION REPORTING FOR M. 5
243	243
244	244	5–1303. 6
245	245
246	246	(A) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH AN ANONYMO US ELECTRONIC 7
247	247	TIP PROGRAM THAT ALL OWS EMPLOYEES AND OT HER PERSONS TO REPOR T 8
248	248	INCIDENTS OF ALLEGED HARASSMENT OR INTIMI DATION. 9
249	249
250	250	(B) EACH EMPLOYER SHALL POST IN A PLACE ACCESSIBL E TO ALL 10
251	251	EMPLOYEES INFORMATIO N REGARDING THE TIP PROGRAM, INCLUDING HOW AN 11
252	252	EMPLOYEE MAY USE THE TIP PROGRAM . 12
253	253
254	254	(C) ON RECEIPT OF A REPOR T OF ALLEGED HARASSM ENT OR INTIMIDATION 13
255	255	THROUGH THE TIP PROG RAM, THE RECIPIENT OF THE REPORT OR THE RECIPIENT’S 14
256	256	DESIGNEE SHALL : 15
257	257
258	258	(1) COMPLETE A VICTIM OF HARASSMENT OR INTIMI DATION 16
259	259	REPORTING FORM ; AND 17
260	260
261	261	(2) INCLUDE A TRANSCRIPT OF ANY RELEVANT COMM UNICATION 18
262	262	RECEIVED THROUGH THE ANONYMOUS ELECTRONIC TIP PROGRAM WITH THE 19
263	263	VICTIM OF HARASSMENT OR INTIMID ATION REPORTING FORM . 20
264	264
265	265	(D) THE GOVERNOR MAY INCLUDE FUNDING IN THE STATE BUDGET TO 21
266	266	PROVIDE GRANTS TO TH E MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FOR THE 22
267	267	ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TIP PROGRAM . 23
268	268
269	269	5–1304. 24
270	270
271	271	(A) THE INFORMATION CONTA INED IN A VICTIM OF HARASSMENT OR 25
272	272	INTIMIDATION REPORTI NG FORM OR RECEIVED THROUGH THE TIP PROG RAM IS 26
273	273	CONFIDENTIAL AND MAY NOT BE DISCLOSED EXC EPT BY ORDER OF A CO URT. 27
274	274
275	275	(B) AN EMPLOYER MAY NOT T AKE RETALIATORY ACTI ON AGAINST AN 28
276	276	EMPLOYEE FOR : 29
277	277
278	278	(1) REPORTING AN INCIDEN T OF HARASSMENT OR INTIMIDA TION 30
279	279	USING THE REPORTING PROCEDURES ESTABLISH ED BY THE EMPLOYER ; 31 HOUSE BILL 1548 7
280	280
281	281
282	282
283	283	(2) SUBMITTING A VICTIM OF HARASSMENT OR INT IMIDATION 1
284	284	REPORTING FORM ; OR 2
285	285
286	286	(3) SUBMITTING A TIP THROUGH THE TI P PROGRAM. 3
287	287
288	288	5–1305. 4
289	289
290	290	(A) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2026, 5
291	291	THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SU BMIT A REPORT TO THE SENATE FINANCE 6
292	292	COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE HEALTH AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS 7
293	293	COMMITTEE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 8
294	294	ARTICLE, THAT SUMMARIZES THE INFORMATION INCL UDED IN THE VICTIM O F 9
295	295	HARASSMENT OR INTIMI DATION REPORTING FOR MS SUBMITTED TO THE 10
296	296	COMMISSIONER DURING T HE IMMEDIATELY PRECE DING YEAR. 11
297	297
298	298	(2) THE REPORT SUBMITTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 12
299	299	SUBSECTION SHALL INC LUDE, TO THE EXTENT FEASIB LE: 13
300	300
301	301	(I) A DESCR IPTION OF THE TYPES OF HARASSMENT OR 14
302	302	INTIMIDATION REPORTE D; 15
303	303
304	304	(II) THE POSITIONS HELD B Y VICTIMS AND THE AL LEGED 16
305	305	PERPETRATORS ; 17
306	306
307	307	(III) A DESCRIPTION OF COR RECTIVE ACTIONS TAKE N BY THE 18
308	308	EMPLOYER OR THE COMMISSIONER AFTER RE CEIPT OF THE VICTIM OF 19
309	309	HARASSME NT OR INTIMIDATION R EPORTING FORMS ; AND 20
310	310
311	311	(IV) THE NUMBER OF UNSUBS TANTIATED ALLEGATION S 21
312	312	REPORTED. 22
313	313
314	314	(B) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL AD OPT REGULATIONS TO I MPLEMENT THIS 23
315	315	SUBTITLE. 24
316	316
317	317	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Commissioner of Labor 25
318	318	and Industry shall adopt the regulations required under § 5–1305 of the Labor and 26
319	319	Employment Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, on or before January 1, 2026. 27
320	320
321	321	SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
322	322	October 1, 2025. 29