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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*sb0417*
SENATE BILL 417
K3 6lr1984
CF HB 45
By: Senator Lam
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 5, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Labor and Employment – Mandatory Meetings on Religious or Political 2
Matters – Employee Attendance and Participation 3
(Maryland Worker Freedom Act) 4
FOR the purpose of prohibiting employers and their agents, representatives, and designees 5
from taking certain actions against an employee or applicant for employment 6
because the employee or applicant takes certain actions regarding 7
employer–sponsored meetings during which the employer communicates the opinion 8
of the employer regarding religious matters or political matters; authorizing an 9
employee to file a certain complaint with the Commissioner of Labor and Industry; 10
authorizing the Commissioner to take certain actions related to violations of certain 11
provisions of this Act; requiring employers to notify the employer’s employees in a 12
certain manner of the requirements and protections provided under certain 13
provisions of this Act; requiring the Commissioner to develop and make available a 14
certain poster and model notice; and generally relating to employee attendance and 15
participation in employer meetings on religious or political matters. 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Labor and Employment 18
Section 3–718 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2025 Replacement Volume) 21
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
2 SENATE BILL 417
Article – Labor and Employment 1
3–718. 2
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 3
INDICATED. 4
(2) “POLITICAL MATTERS” MEANS MATTERS RELATING TO: 5
(I) ELECTIONS FOR POLITICAL OFFICE; 6
(II) POLITICAL PARTIES; 7
(III) PROPOSALS TO CHANGE: 8
1. LEGISLATION; 9
2. REGULATIONS; OR 10
3. PUBLIC POLICY; OR 11
(IV) THE DECISION TO JOIN OR SUPPORT A POLITICAL PARTY OR 12
POTENTIAL CIVIC, COMMUNITY, FRATERNAL, OR LABOR ORGANIZATION. 13
(3) “RELIGIOUS MATTERS ” MEANS MATTERS RELATI NG TO 14
RELIGIOUS BELIEF, AFFILIATION, AND PRACTICE OR THE DECISION TO JOIN AND 15
SUPPORT A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION OR ASSOCIATION. 16
(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO AN EMPLOYER THAT: 17
(1) IS A RELIGIOUS CORPORATION, ORGANIZATION, OR ASSOCIATION 18
OR AN EDUCATIONAL IN STITUTION OR SOCIETY THAT IS EXEMPT FROM THE 19
REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 UNDER 42 U.S.C. 20
§ 2000E–1(A) OR IS EXEMPT FOR EMP LOYMENT DISCRIMINATI ON PROTECTIONS 21
UNDER STATE LAW; 22
(2) IS A POLITICAL ORGAN IZATION THAT REQUIRES ITS EMPLOYEES 23
TO ATTEND AN EMPLOYE R–SPONSORED MEETING OR TO PARTICIPATE IN 24
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE EMPLOYER OR THE EMPLOYER’S AGENTS OR OTHER 25
REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMMU NICATING THE EMPLOYE R’S 26
POLITICAL TENETS OR PURPOSES; 27
SENATE BILL 417 3
(3) IS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION THAT REQUIRES A STUDENT OR 1
AN INSTRUCTOR TO ATT END LECTURES ON POLI TICAL OR RELIGIOUS MATTERS AS 2
PART OF THE REGULAR COURSEWORK AT THE INSTITUTION; 3
(4) IS A NONPROFIT , TAX–EXEMPT TRAINING PROG RAM THAT 4
REQUIRES A STUDENT O R AN INSTRUCTOR TO A TTEND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, 5
COMPLETE FIELDWORK, OR PERFORM COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS ON POLITICAL 6
OR RELIGIOUS MATTERS AS IT RELATES TO THE MISSION OF THE TRAIN ING 7
PROGRAM; 8
(5) REQUIRES EMPLOYEES TO UNDERGO TRAINING TO COMPLY WITH 9
FEDERAL OR STATE LAW , INCLUDING TRAINING R ELATED TO THE EMPLOY ER’S 10
OBLIGATIONS UNDER CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH 11
LAWS; OR 12
(6) IS A GOVERNMENTAL UN IT HOLDING A NEW EMP LOYEE 13
ORIENTATION. 14
(C) AN EMPLOYER , OR THE EMPLOYER ’S AGENT , REPRESENTATIVE, OR 15
DESIGNEE, MAY NOT: 16
(1) DISCHARGE, DISCIPLINE, OR OTHERWISE PENALIZ E OR 17
THREATEN TO D ISCHARGE, DISCIPLINE, OR OTHERWISE PENALIZ E AN EMPLOYEE 18
BECAUSE THE EMPLOYEE DECLINES TO ATTEND , PARTICIPATE IN, OR LISTEN TO 19
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE EMPLOYER , OR THE EMPLOYER ’S AGENT , 20
REPRESENTATIVE, OR DESIGNEE, IN AN EMPLOYER–SPONSORED MEETING DURING 21
WHICH THE EMPLOYER COM MUNICATES THE OPINIO N OF THE EMPLOYER 22
REGARDING RELIGIOUS MATTERS OR POLITICAL MATTERS; OR 23
(2) FAIL OR REFUSE TO HIRE AN APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A 24
RESULT OF THE APPLIC ANT’S REFUSAL TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN AN 25
EMPLOYER–SPONSORED MEETING DURING WHICH THE EMPLOYER COMMUNICATES 26
THE OPINION OF THE E MPLOYER REGARDING RELIGIOUS MATTERS OR P OLITICAL 27
MATTERS. 28
(D) THIS SECTION DOES NOT PROHIBIT AN EMPLOYER: 29
(1) FROM COMMUNICATING I NFORMATION THAT THE EMPLOYER IS 30
REQUIRED BY LAW TO COMMUNICATE; 31
(2) FROM CONDUCTING A ME ETING THAT INVOLVES RELIGIOUS 32
MATTERS OR POLITICAL MATTERS IF ATTENDANC E AND PARTICIPATION ARE 33
VOLUNTARY; 34
4 SENATE BILL 417
(3) FROM COMMUNICATING TO ITS EMPLOYEES INFO RMATION THAT 1
IS NECESSARY FOR ITS EMPLOYEES TO PERFORM THEIR JOB DUTIES; 2
(4) THAT IS AN INSTITUTI ON OF HIGHER EDUCATI ON, OR AN AGENT 3
OR OTHER REPRESENTAT IVE OR DESIGNEE OF T HE INSTITUTION, FROM MEETING 4
WITH OR PARTICIPATIN G IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH ITS EMPLOYEES T HAT ARE 5
PART OF COURSEWORK , A SYMPOSIUM , OR AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM AT THE 6
INSTITUTION; OR 7
(5) THAT IS A GOVERNMENT AL UNIT FROM COMMUNI CATING TO ITS 8
EMPLOYEES INFORMATION RELATED TO A POLIC Y OF THE EMPLOYER OR A LAW 9
THAT THE EMPLOYER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING. 10
(E) (1) IF AN EMPLOYEE BELIEV ES THAT AN EM PLOYER HAS VIOLATED 11
THIS SECTION, WITHIN 180 DAYS AFTER THE ALLEGED VIOLATION, THE EMPLOYEE 12
MAY FILE A WRITTEN COMPLAINT WITH THE COMMISSIONER. 13
(2) AFTER RECEIVING A WRI TTEN COMPLAINT FILED UNDER 14
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONDUCT AN 15
INVESTIGATION AND AT TEMPT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE INFORMALLY THR OUGH 16
MEDIATION. 17
(3) IF THE COMMISSIONER IS UNABL E TO RESOLVE AN ISSU E 18
THROUGH MEDIATION AN D, AFTER AN INVESTIGATI ON, THE COMMISSIONER 19
DETERMINES THAT THE EMPLOYER HAS VIOLATE D THIS SECTION, THE 20
COMMISSIONER MAY ASSESS A CIVIL PENALTY OF: 21
(I) FOR AN INITIAL VIOLATION, UP TO $10,000; OR 22
(II) FOR A SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION, UP TO $25,000. 23
(4) IN ADDITION TO CIVIL PENALTIES ASSESSED UNDER PARAGRAPH 24
(3) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE COMMISSIONER MAY: 25
(I) ISSUE AN ORDER TO CE ASE AND DESIST FROM THE 26
VIOLATION AND ANY FURTHER SIMILAR VIOLATIONS; OR 27
(II) AWARD ANY OTHER RELI EF THAT THE COMMISSIONER 28
DETERMINES IS APPROPRIATE, INCLUDING: 29
1. INJUNCTIVE RELIEF; 30
SENATE BILL 417 5
2. COMPENSATORY DAMAGES; 1
3. AFFIRMATIVE RELIEF, INCLUDING: 2
A. THE REINSTATEMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE TO THE 3
EMPLOYEE’S FORMER POSITION OR AN EQUIVALENT POSITION; 4
B. BACK PAY AND INTEREST AMOUNTS OWED; OR 5
C. RESTORATION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, PENSION OR 6
RETIREMENT ACCRUAL, AND OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR 7
WHICH THE EMPLOYEE WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE; OR 8
4. REASONABLE ATTORNEY’S FEES AND OTHER COSTS. 9
(5) THE COMMISSIONER MAY FILE A PETITION IN ANY CI RCUIT 10
COURT FOR ANY COUNTY SEEKING ENFORCEMENT OF AN ORDER UNDER TH IS 11
SECTION. 12
(F) (1) EACH EMPLOYER SHALL N OTIFY THE EMPLOYER ’S EMPLOYEES 13
OF THE REQUIREMENTS AND PROTECTIONS PROVIDED UNDER THIS SECTION BY: 14
(I) POSTING THE POSTER O R NOTICE DEVELOPED U NDER 15
PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION IN A PLACE WHERE EMPLOYEE NOTICES ARE 16
CUSTOMARILY POSTED OR IN ANOTHER CONSPIC UOUS PLACE ACCESSIBLE BY ALL 17
EMPLOYEES OF THE EMPLOYER; AND 18
(II) PROVIDING THE NOTIC E DEVELOPED UNDER PA RAGRAPH 19
(2) OF THIS PARAGRAPH TO EACH NEW EMPLOYEE ON HIRING. 20
(2) (I) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DE VELOP AND MAKE 21
AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYERS A POSTER AND MODEL NOTICE THAT SUMMARIZES THE 22
RIGHTS ESTABLISHED U NDER THIS SECTION , INCLUDING HOW TO FILE A 23
COMPLAINT WITH THE COMMISSIONER. 24
(II) THE POSTER AND MODEL NOTICE DEVELOPED UND ER 25
SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH SH ALL BE MADE AVAILABL E IN ENGLISH 26
AND ANY OTHER LANGUAGES COMMONLY USED BY EMPLOYEES IN THE STATE. 27
(3) THE COMMISSIONER S HALL CONSIDER FAILUR E TO COMPLY 28
WITH THE NOTICE REQU IREMENT ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 29
SUBSECTION AN AGGRAV ATING FACTOR WHEN AW ARDING RELIEF UNDER 30
SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION. 31
6 SENATE BILL 417
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Commissioner of Labor 1
and Industry shall develop and make available the poster and model notice required under 2
§ 3–718(f)(2) of the Labor and Employment Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, on 3
or before November 1, 2026. 4
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, T hat this Act shall take effect 5
October 1, 2026. 6
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.