Steve Burns
WMAL.com
ANNAPOLIS — (WMAL) Maryland Governor Larry Hogan Wednesday said he is looking to forge compromise as he introduces a bill to the General Assembly mandating Maryland businesses with over 50 employees to provide its workers with 40 hours of sick leave per year.
“For four years now, members of our Legislature have failed to reach a compromise or consensus on this issue,” Hogan told reporters Wednesday. “It would be irresponsible to put another law on the books that unfairly penalizes our state’s job creators.”
Hogan said the 40 hours could be rolled over to the following year. Seasonal employees would be exempt, and businesses with fewer than 50 employees would be incentivized to join.
“(They) will then be eligible for tax relief incentives to help offset the costs of providing the additional benefits.”
Businesses that already meet the minimum requirements wouldn’t be required to change anything, he said.
Hogan said his proposed bill has only seen support so far, but some are already making their displeasure known, as Hogan’s law would supercede any local laws pertaining to leave.
“Gov. Hogan’s terrible proposal pre-empts local gvts & would strip #paidleave, parental leave from 300K+ MoCo workers,” Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker tweeted.
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