EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0233*
HOUSE BILL 233
K3 5lr1028
HB 802/24 – ECM (PRE–FILED)
By: Delegates Vogel, Foley, Kaufman, Pasteur, Pena–Melnyk, Terrasa, Wims, and
Woorman
Requested: October 1, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Labor and Employment – Mandatory Meetings on Religious or Political Matters 2
– Employee Attendance and Participation 3
(Maryland Worker Freedom Act) 4
FOR the purpose of prohibiting employers from taking certain actions against an employee 5
or applicant for employment because the employee or applicant declines to attend or 6
participate in employer–sponsored meetings during which the employer 7
communicates the opinion of the employer regarding religious matters or political 8
matters; and generally relating to employee attendance and participation in 9
employer meetings on religious or political matters. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Labor and Employment 12
Section 3–718 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Labor and Employment 18
3–718. 19
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
INDICATED. 21
(2) “POLITICAL MATTERS ” MEANS MATTERS RELATI NG TO: 22 2 HOUSE BILL 233
(I) ELECTIONS FOR POLITI CAL OFFICE; 1
(II) POLITICAL PARTIES ; 2
(III) PROPOSALS TO CHANGE : 3
1. LEGISLATION; 4
2. REGULATIONS ; OR 5
3. PUBLIC POLICY; OR 6
(IV) THE DECISION TO JOIN OR SUPPORT A POLITIC AL PARTY OR 7
POTENTIAL CIVIC , COMMUNITY , FRATERNAL, OR LABOR ORGANIZATIO N. 8
(3) “RELIGIOUS MATTERS ” MEANS MATTERS RELATI NG TO 9
RELIGIOUS BELIEF , AFFILIATION, AND PRACTICE OR THE DECISION TO JOIN OR 10
SUPPORT A RELIGIOUS ENTITY. 11
(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO AN EMPLOYER THAT IS A RELIGIOUS 12
CORPORATION , ORGANIZATION , OR ASSOCIATION , OR AN EDUCATIONAL 13
INSTITUTION OR SOCIE TY THAT IS EXEMPT FR OM THE REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VII 14
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 UNDER 42 U.S.C. § 2000E–1(A). 15
(C) AN EMPLOYER MAY NOT : 16
(1) DISCHARGE, DISCIPLINE, OR OTHERWISE PENALIZ E OR 17
THREATEN TO DISCHARG E, DISCIPLINE, OR OTHERWISE PENALIZ E AN EMPLOYEE 18
BECAUSE THE EMP LOYEE DECLINES TO AT TEND OR PARTICIPATE IN AN 19
EMPLOYER–SPONSORED MEETING DU RING WHICH THE EMPLO YER COMMUNICATES 20
THE OPINION OF THE E MPLOYER REGARDING RE LIGIOUS MATTERS OR P OLITICAL 21
MATTERS; OR 22
(2) FAIL OR REFUSE TO HI RE AN APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A 23
RESULT OF THE APPLIC ANT’S REFUSAL TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN AN 24
EMPLOYER–SPONSORED MEETING DU RING WHICH THE EMPLO YER COMMUNICATES 25
THE OPINION OF THE E MPLOYER REGARDING RE LIGIOUS MATTERS OR P OLITICAL 26
MATTERS. 27
(D) THIS SECTION DOES NOT PROHIBIT AN EMPLOY ER FROM: 28
HOUSE BILL 233 3
(1) COMMUNICATING INFORM ATION THAT THE EMPLO YER IS 1
REQUIRED BY LAW TO C OMMUNICATE ; OR 2
(2) CONDUCTING A MEETING THAT INVOLVES RELIGI OUS MATTERS 3
OR POLITICAL MATTERS IF ATTENDANCE AND PA RTICIPATION ARE VOLU NTARY. 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 5
October 1, 2025. 6