Read more about the article Webinar to Help Employers Navigate FAMLI Registration
County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor
Webinar to Help Employers Navigate FAMLI Registration

Maryland employers can get answers to common FAMLI registration questions during an upcoming webinar on September 30. The Maryland Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) team will host an “Understanding FAMLI Registration” webinar on Wednesday, September 30, from 1 PM to 2 PM via Zoom. The webinar will provide an overview of the FAMLI registration process and address employer questions and concerns. The session is intended to help stakeholders better understand the registration requirements and make…

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September 24, 2026
Read more about the article MD Dept of Labor: FAMLI Employer Registration Is Now Open
County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor
MD Dept of Labor: FAMLI Employer Registration Is Now Open

Maryland has opened employer registration for its Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, another step as the state prepares to launch the program. The Maryland Department of Labor announced in a press release the opening of employer registration for Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, marking another key step toward implementation of the state’s paid family and medical leave program. All employers with at least one Maryland-based employee are required to register…

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September 8, 2026
Read more about the article Deep Dive: Navigating Maryland’s FAMLI Private Plan Option
County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor / Policy Deep Dive
Deep Dive: Navigating Maryland’s FAMLI Private Plan Option

As Maryland moves toward implementation of the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, counties considering participation in a private plan through the MACo, MABE, MML Time to Care Act (TCA) Collaborative should be aware of several important updates to the private-plan process and upcoming deadlines. As previously covered by MACo, in 2023, MACo joined with the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) and the Maryland Municipal League (MML) to develop a collaborative joint…

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September 2, 2026
Read more about the article MD Paid Leave Program: Key Updates and Deadlines for Counties
County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor
MD Paid Leave Program: Key Updates and Deadlines for Counties

As counties prepare for Maryland’s new paid family and medical leave program, a recent webinar hosted by Bolton is updating local governments on private-plan coverage and helping public employers navigate upcoming decisions. The MACo, MABE, MML Time to Care Act (TCA) Collaborative recently provided an update on its private-plan process, including changes in the insurance market and upcoming deadlines for local governments. As previously covered by MACo, in 2023, MACo joined with the Maryland Association…

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August 27, 2026
Read more about the article Summer MACoCon Is Over but the Conversations Continue
County Budgets / County News / Cyber / Elections / Energy / Environment / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Human Resources / Information Technology / Planning and Zoning / Summer Conference
Summer MACoCon Is Over but the Conversations Continue

The 2026 Summer MACoCon might be over, but many of the conversations that filled the convention center's halls are ongoing. In this episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Shantelle Malcolm-Lym is joined by Karrington Anderson and Dominic Butchko to look back at what stood out at MACoCon and, more importantly, what comes next. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in…

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August 21, 2026
Read more about the article Beyond the Original Grand Bargain: Maryland’s Evolving Workers’ Comp System
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
Read more about the article County HR Professionals Convene for MACo’s 2026 HR Affiliate Conference
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
Read more about the article 2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups
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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
Read more about the article 2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Employee Benefits & Relations
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
Read more about the article FAMLI Regulations Finalized, Marking Major Step Toward Launch
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
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