Description

New State Paid Leave Program Will Touch Every Maryland Farm Employer
FAMLI contributions begin in January 2027 — and farm businesses have decisions to make before then

Beginning in 2028, nearly every employer in Maryland — including family farms with just one hired hand — will be required to provide employees paid family and medical leave under the state's new Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. For Maryland Farm Bureau members who employ even one W-2 worker, the law carries real deadlines, real costs, and real choices, many of which arrive well before any benefits are ever paid out.

FAMLI, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor, will let eligible employees take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave a year — up to 24 weeks in cases combining an employee's own serious health condition with bonding leave — while collecting up to $1,000 a week in wage replacement. The leave can be used to welcome a new child, recover from a serious health condition, care for a family member with a serious illness, or manage family needs tied to a military deployment.

No Exemption for Small or Family-Run Operations

Unlike Maryland's unemployment insurance system, FAMLI does not exempt any category of employer. Every business with at least one W-2 employee in Maryland must participate, regardless of payroll size — and that includes part-time, seasonal, and J-1 workers, categories common on Maryland farms. Already offering paid time off, private disability coverage, or complying with the federal FMLA does not excuse an employer from FAMLI.

Please join Farm Creek & Keen Insurance Associates for our webinar to learn about the upcoming Maryland Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act.