County News / General Assembly News / Labor / News You Can Use
Governor Hogan Appoints Labor Secretary

Governor Larry Hogan today appointed Tiffany Robinson as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor. Robinson currently serves as deputy chief of staff in the Office of the Governor, where she advises on labor, housing, education, human services, and health matters. Robinson, who served as administrator of the Harford County Department of Housing and Community Development from 2010 to 2015, succeeds Acting Secretary James E. Rzepkowski, who will continue to serve as assistant secretary for…

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July 9, 2019
County Budgets / Employee Benefits and Relations / Labor / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Summer Conference
Maryland Sheds Jobs, But Unemployment Rate Stable

The latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor shows Maryland with a month-over-month loss of 1,200 jobs. The state's overall unemployment rate remained steady at 3.8%. Maryland has gained some 15,000 jobs over one year ago - so the short term downturn may not reflect a larger overall trend. However, most government revenues are substantially economy-dependent. The state personal income tax and sales tax are by far…

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June 24, 2019
County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / General Assembly News / Labor
Maryland’s Minimum Wage Law, Explained

The Maryland General Assembly this year passed House Bill 166/Senate Bill 280 (Chs. 10 and 11), legislation to phase in an increase in the State minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2025, with a longer phase-in for employers with 14 or fewer employees. Unless the federal minimum wage is set at a higher rate, the State minimum wage for employers with 15 or more employees is as follows: • $11.00 per hour…

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May 28, 2019
County News / Education / Labor
Anne Arundel Board of Ed. Approves Bargaining Agreement

The Anne Arundel County Board of Education today approved a negotiated agreement for Fiscal Year 2020 with the Association of Educational Leaders (AEL), the bargaining unit which represents building administrators, coordinators, and special assistants. County Executive Steuart Pittman's proposed appropriation to the board of education, excluding debt service, increases by $46.2 million. This amount meets the State matching funds requirements known as Maintenance of Effort (MOE), provides full funding for pay packages as proposed by…

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May 15, 2019
Montgomery Council Indicates Support for Modified Union Contract
County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Labor
Montgomery Council Indicates Support for Modified Union Contract

The Montgomery County Council, by a vote of 7-2, today adopted a resolution indicating its intent to approve the renegotiated collectively bargained contracts with the Municipal and County Government Employees’ Organization (MCGEO) and to fund the compensation and benefits provided in the agreements renegotiated by County Executive Marc Elrich for FY 2020. At its April 30 meeting on compensation and benefits for all agencies, the Council deferred a final decision on pay adjustments for County Government…

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May 14, 2019
County News / Labor
Maryland Proclaims May Apprenticeship Career Pathways Month

Governor Larry Hogan has proclaimed May as Apprenticeship Career Pathways Month in Maryland. The month-long observance raises awareness of apprenticeship programs and the opportunities they provide to workers and employers in increasing skills and strengthening the workforce. Apprenticeships are full-time careers that include on-the-job training and classroom instruction, allowing apprentices to earn while they learn. Many apprenticeship programs partner with local institutes of higher learning, allowing apprentices to earn credit toward college degrees. MACo has…

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May 1, 2019
Conduit Street Podcast: Complete Count Conversation
County News / General Assembly News / Human Resources / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Conduit Street Podcast: Complete Count Conversation

  MACo has made the podcast available through both iTunes and Google Play Music by searching Conduit Street Podcast. You can also listen on our Conduit Street blog with a recap and link to the podcast. You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website. Useful Links Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Census Catalogs Density of Local Governments (Maryland’s Very Lean!) Previous Conduit Street Coverage: MD Complete Count Committee Commences; Census Grants Awarded Previous Conduit Street Coverage: What’s Next…

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April 26, 2019
Conduit Street Podcast: “Spring Cleaning” Policy Roundup
Agriculture / County Budgets / County News / Education / General Assembly News / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Conduit Street Podcast: “Spring Cleaning” Policy Roundup

MACo has made the podcast available through both iTunes and Google Play Music by searching Conduit Street Podcast. You can also listen on our Conduit Street blog with a recap and link to the podcast. You can listen to previous episodes of the Conduit Street Podcast on our website. Useful Links Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Budget Conferees Reach Compromise on Spending Plan Previous Conduit Street Coverage: County and Legislative Leaders Push for Build to Learn Act Previous Conduit Street Coverage: $15…

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March 29, 2019
Employee Benefits and Relations / Labor / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
$15 Minimum Wage, Slowed and Amended, Moves to House Floor

A House Committee has given preliminary approval to an amended version of the $15 minimum wage proposal. HB 166, proposing to phase-in a $15 minmum wage across Maryland, has gotten its first stamp of approval. The House Economic Matters Committee voted 17-7 to pass an amended version of the bill, and send that report to the floor of the House of Delegates for a full vote. The bill is likely to come up whit week…

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February 26, 2019
Allan Kittleman Confirmed For Workers’ Comp Commission
County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Labor
Allan Kittleman Confirmed For Workers’ Comp Commission

The Senate, on Friday, February 1, consented to the Gubernatorial appointment of Allan Kittleman as a Member of the State Worker's Compensation Commission. Kittleman, former Howard County Executive, will serve the remainder of a 12-year appointment, which began on February 1, 2008. Allan H. Kittleman, a lifelong Howard County resident, was elected in 2014 as the ninth County Executive, pledging improved transparency, strong fiscal management, and bipartisanship. He had previously also served as a member…

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February 1, 2019
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