Employee Benefits and Relations Archives

Employee Benefits and Relations / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

State Rolls Out Voluntary Separation Program to Help Meet Budget Targets

Governor Wes Moore has authorized a new Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) for State employees, part of an effort to trim costs and meet the personnel savings required in the fiscal 2026 State budget. The program, launched on July 10, is available to eligible Executive Branch employees and offers a financial incentive for them to separate from State service voluntarily. The move comes in response to budget constraints passed by the General Assembly earlier this year,…

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July 15, 2025

Navigating Cannabis, Safety, and Compliance in the Workplace

As cannabis laws evolve, employers are facing new challenges in balancing safety, federal obligations, and employee rights. Minnesota’s latest law raises the stakes by requiring greater legal justification before taking employment action. According to a Forbes article, Minnesota passed a bill that recently went into effect, strengthening protections for registered medical cannabis patients in the workplace. Employers must now give these employees 14 days’ written notice before taking any adverse action based on a positive…

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July 7, 2025

Economic Development / Labor

Feds Invests in Skilled Workforce With $84M in Apprenticeship Grants

The importance of apprenticeships continues to grow across the country. New federal funding is providing states with more tools to meet workforce needs in both traditional trades and emerging industries. The US Department of Labor announced in a press release nearly $84 million in grants to all 50 states and territories to expand and improve Registered Apprenticeship programs. This funding includes both the base formula and competitive grants, supporting a federal goal of reaching 1…

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July 2, 2025

Courts / Employee Benefits and Relations / Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections / Summer Conference

The DEI Divide: Navigating Public Service in an Increasingly Divisive World

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professionals and policies have been the subject of recent court challenges and executive orders. In some cases the existence of a DEI program or policy has been cited as potential cause for repealing federal, state, and local funding. These potential roll backs of policies and practices come at a time when ideology driven attacks on government officials have been increasing, some even sparking new legislation in Maryland to extend protections…

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July 1, 2025

Health and Human Services / Labor / Summer Conference

Federal Funding for Senior Workforce Training and Wages in Jeopardy

Federal budget cuts could have an impact on State and local programs that fund workforce training and wages for unemployed, low-income seniors in Maryland. A federal program that funds workforce training and wages for older, resource-scare residents might be shutting down due to federal budget cuts. According to reports in a number of other states, the US Department of Labor has put state and local funding recipients on notice that funding for the programs would…

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July 1, 2025

Employee Benefits and Relations / Health and Human Services / Human Resources / Information Technology / Labor

CalHeatScore: California’s New Tool for Beating the Heat

Extreme heat is more than a summer nuisance. California’s new tool helps residents identify potential dangers early and take action to stay safe. In a recent Government Technology article, California introduced CalHeatScore, a new tool that forecasts and ranks the risk of heat-related illness on a daily basis. Using a 0-to-4 scale, the system helps residents understand when conditions are most hazardous, with a score of 4 indicating a severe risk. The platform also provides…

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June 12, 2025

Business Affairs / County News / Labor / News You Can Use

Richmond Fed to Spotlight Maryland’s Workforce Trends

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond is hosting a public forum in Baltimore to examine labor force participation trends in Maryland, featuring insights from economists, workforce leaders, and Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman. The event will explore challenges and opportunities shaping who is — and isn’t — in the workforce. Titled “Maximizing Employment: Understanding Labor Force Participation,” the forum will take place on Thursday, June 26, from 8:30 am to 11:00 am, at the Richmond Fed’s…

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June 9, 2025

Employee Benefits and Relations / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use

Maryland Opens Emergency Loan Program for Former Federal Workers

Maryland has launched a new emergency loan program to support former federal employees experiencing financial hardship following job loss, providing short-term relief as broader workforce support efforts continue. The Maryland Department of Labor has launched the Federal Emergency Loan Program, offering interest-free loans to former federal workers who are facing financial hardship due to layoffs, closures, or relocations. The online application portal opened on Wednesday, June 5. The General Assembly established the program through the…

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June 6, 2025

Courts / Employee Benefits and Relations / Government Liability and Courts

US Supreme Court Unanimous on Reverse Discrimination Case

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of a plaintiff who alleged she was denied a promotion and subsequently demoted due to her sexual orientation. This overturns a lower court ruling imposing a higher evidentiary burden on majority-group plaintiffs. The unanimous decision, authored by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, overturns a lower court's application of the "background circumstances" rule, which imposed a higher evidentiary burden on majority-group plaintiffs—such as white, heterosexual, or Christian individuals—seeking to…

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June 5, 2025

Courts / Employee Benefits and Relations / Labor

Connecticut Court Ruling Spurs Fast Legislative Fix to Workers’ Comp Law

A high-stakes court decision in Connecticut recently triggered a fast legislative response that underscores how one ruling can shift the balance in workers’ compensation systems. In March 2025, the Connecticut Supreme Court disrupted longstanding workers’ compensation practices by allowing administrative law judges (ALJs) to extend temporary partial disability benefits beyond maximum medical improvement rather than converting claims to permanent partial disability. The decision raised alarms among employers, including public sector entities, who warned that the…

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June 2, 2025