Maryland Paid Sick Leave Accrual Calculator

Estimate sick leave accrual under the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act: one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Employers with 15 or more employees must provide paid leave; smaller employers must provide unpaid leave on the same accrual schedule.

Maryland's Healthy Working Families Act (effective February 11, 2018) requires employers to provide at least one hour of earned sick and safe leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Employers with 15 or more employees must provide this leave as paid; employers with fewer than 15 employees must provide unpaid leave at the same accrual rate. — Maryland Department of Labor — Paid Leave

Scope: This calculator models the statewide minimum under the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act. Local ordinances (Montgomery County, Prince George's County), employer frontloading arrangements, and specific industry exemptions may produce different results.

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Maryland Healthy Working Families Act accrual rule

Under Maryland Healthy Working Families Act, Labor and Employment Art. §§ 3-1301–3-1311, covered employees accrue one hour of earned sick and safe leave for every 30 hours worked. Accrual begins on the first day of employment and continues throughout the accrual year.

Basic formula

raw accrual = hours worked / 30 accrual counted = min(raw accrual, annual cap) estimated balance = prior balance + accrual counted - leave used

Employer-size caps

The annual accrual cap depends on employer size. Employers with 15 or more employees allow up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year. Employers with fewer than 15 employees cap accrual at 40 hours per year. A more generous policy, contract, or ordinance may allow a higher balance.

When can leave be used?

Accrued leave may first be used on the 106th calendar day of employment for new employees (employees must be allowed to use leave beginning on the 106th day). Hours continue accruing during the waiting period; the balance shown here may not yet be legally available to take.

Carryover and year-end balance

Up to 40 hours of unused earned sick and safe leave carries forward to the next year. Employers using a frontloading method may limit the carryover amount; the statewide minimum protects up to 40 hours.

Leave payout at separation

The Maryland Healthy Working Families Act does not require payout of unused earned sick and safe leave at separation. A specific employer policy promising payout would create a separate obligation.

What this calculator does not determine

Whether a particular employer or employee is covered by the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act.
Whether a specific absence is an authorized use of earned sick and safe leave.
Whether leave for the employee is paid (15+ employee employer) or unpaid (under 15 employees) — the accrual rate is the same for both.
Whether an employer uses a compliant frontloading arrangement instead of per-hour accrual.
Whether a local ordinance (Montgomery County, Prince George's County) provides greater benefits.

Worked examples

Example 1: employer with 15 or more employees, 800 hours worked

hours worked = 800 raw accrual = 800 / 30 = 26.667 hours annual cap = 40 hours counted accrual = 26.667 hours

Example 2: full year full-time, cap applies

hours worked = 2,080 raw accrual = 2,080 / 30 = 69.333 hours annual cap = 40 hours counted accrual = 40.0 hours

Sources and verification

The accrual ratio, 40-hour annual cap, 106-day waiting period, and employer-size paid/unpaid distinction are sourced from the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act statute and the Maryland Department of Labor Paid Leave guidance, verified August 2026. See the site's methodology for how rules become tested calculator logic.

Common questions

Is Maryland sick leave paid or unpaid?

It depends on employer size. Employers with 15 or more employees must provide paid sick and safe leave. Employers with fewer than 15 employees are required to provide the same accrual amount as unpaid leave. The accrual rate (one hour per 30 hours worked) and the 40-hour cap are the same for both.

When can a new Maryland employee start using sick leave?

Employees begin accruing on day one, but may not use accrued leave until the 106th calendar day of employment. After that milestone, leave may be taken as it accrues.

Does Maryland sick leave carry over?

Yes. Up to 40 hours of unused earned sick and safe leave carries forward to the next year. Employers using a frontloading method handle carryover differently.

What can Maryland earned sick and safe leave be used for?

Leave may be used for the employee's own illness, preventive care, or care for a family member, and for absences related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. This calculator estimates hours accrued — it does not determine whether a specific absence is authorized.

Is Maryland sick leave paid out at termination?

The statewide law does not require payout of unused earned sick and safe leave at separation. A written employer policy may create a separate obligation.