Employee Benefits and Relations Archives

Research Finds AI Is Changing Jobs More Than Eliminating Them

Artificial intelligence has become an easy target as hiring slows and job seekers face a more competitive market, but new research suggests the technology is not the primary reason for today's employment challenges. As covered in a Baltimore Banner article, a collaborative study led by researchers at the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business analyzed 155 million US job postings between 2018 and 2025 and found no evidence that AI is reducing…

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July 8, 2026

Research Examines Data Center Job Creation

Data centers can bring significant investment to a community, but permanent job creation may depend on the type of facility being built. A Governing article encourages local governments to take a close look at projected employment benefits before approving projects or negotiating incentive agreements. From the article: The large facilities most often pitched to communities under financial pressure are colocation centers — essentially landlord operations that rent space, power and cooling to multiple tenants who bring…

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July 2, 2026

Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Policy Deep Dive

Beyond the Original Grand Bargain: Maryland’s Evolving Workers’ Comp System

Workers’ compensation systems were designed around the idea that employees injured on the job would receive guaranteed benefits without having to prove employer fault, while employers would receive protection from unpredictable lawsuits and liability. This framework is often referred to as the “grand bargain” concept and has shaped workers’ compensation law across the country for more than a century. Workers’ compensation emerged as a compromise between labor and industry during the late nineteenth and early…

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May 27, 2026

County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Health and Human Services

MD Sets Payment Limits on Ozempic Amid Rising Prescription Costs

Maryland’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board has taken another step to rein in prescription costs. The Board voted to cap payments for Ozempic in state and local government health plans, a move projected to save public employers millions each year. Maryland’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) determined Ozempic is unaffordable for people living in the state. The Board voted to place upper payment limits on the diabetes and weight-loss drug for state and local government health…

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May 21, 2026

Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources

County HR Professionals Convene for MACo’s 2026 HR Affiliate Conference

County human resources professionals came together this week at MACo's 2026 Human Resources Affiliate Conference, held at the Claggett Center in Frederick County. The two-day event blended networking and timely policy discussions, equipping local HR leaders with tools and insights to navigate an increasingly complex workforce landscape. The conference opened on May 6 with a welcoming reception and dinner, offering attendees the opportunity to connect with peers from across jurisdictions before a full day of…

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May 8, 2026

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2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups

Catch up on all of the latest outcomes of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session with wrap-ups on important county-related bills in each policy area. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal pressure. Lawmakers closed the fiscal 2027 gap, preserved reserves, and fully funded principal commitments, such as the Blueprint, but did not resolve the larger structural deficits projected for the years ahead. That budget pressure shaped debates across nearly every policy area, from…

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April 17, 2026

Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / MACo Testimony

2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Employee Benefits & Relations

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on employee benefits and relations policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. County governments are major public employers, responsible for managing a diverse workforce that delivers critical public services. To this extent, MACo advocates to ensure that state employment laws are fair, balanced, and workable for public sector employers, particularly when proposals uniquely or disproportionately affect government operations or essential personnel. During Maryland's 448th legislative…

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April 14, 2026

Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor

FAMLI Regulations Finalized, Marking Major Step Toward Launch

Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program continues to take shape with final regulations that include several key updates for employers and stakeholders. Chapters 1–5 of FAMLI’s regulations are now officially in effect and published in the Code of Maryland Regulations. Click here to read the regulations. The application window for public and private employers interested in offering a private plan will run from September 1 through November 15, 2026. Employers choosing this option…

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April 3, 2026

Employee Benefits and Relations / MACo Testimony

Streamlining Employee Heat Protection Standards To Ensure Practical Implementation

On March 11, Associate Policy Director Karrington Anderson submitted written testimony to the Finance Committee in support of SB 804 – Labor and Employment - Occupational Safety and Health - Revisions to Heat Stress Standards with amendments. This bill codifies and clarifies requirements governing workplace heat stress protections that were previously adopted through Maryland Occupational Safety and Health regulations. SB 804 requires employers, including counties, to develop heat stress prevention plans, acclimatization plans, high-heat procedures,…

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March 16, 2026

Employee Benefits and Relations / MACo Testimony

Exclusive Remedy Rule Is a Fundamental Principle of the Workers’ Compensation System

On March 11, Associate Policy Director Karrington Anderson testified before the Economic Matters Committee in opposition to HB 366 – Workers' Compensation - Exemption From Exclusivity of Remedy - Action for Wrongful Death by Nondependent Child. This bill would allow non-dependent children of an employee, including adult children, to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against an employer in court outside of the workers’ compensation system. As such, it would allow claims for damages not available…

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March 16, 2026