State laws / MD

Maryland pay transparency law

What Maryland employers must disclose in job postings, who's covered, and the penalty for non-compliance.

Statute
Maryland Wage Range Transparency Act (SB 525 / HB 649)
Requirement type
In-posting disclosure
Effective
October 1, 2024
Applies to
All employers
Salary range in postings
Required
Benefits description
Required
Penalty
$0–$600 per violation
Enforced by
Maryland Commissioner of Labor and Industry
Notes
Applies to ALL employers — no size threshold. Requires good-faith wage range, general description of benefits, and any other compensation. Tiered enforcement per affected person: first violation = compliance letter; second = up to $300; subsequent within 3 years = up to $600. Applies to positions performed at least in part in Maryland. No private right of action.

Maryland's Wage Range Transparency Act has no employer size threshold — a detail that surprises most multi-state employers, who assume a floor exists. Since October 1, 2024, every employer with a position performed at least in part in Maryland must include a good-faith wage range, a general description of benefits, and any other compensation (bonuses, commissions) in each posting, internal or external.

Enforcement is tiered per affected employee or applicant rather than per posting: a first violation draws a compliance letter, a second up to $300 per affected person, and subsequent violations within three years up to $600 per affected person. The Commissioner of Labor and Industry enforces the law — there is no private right of action — and Maryland's DOL has published an FAQ and a posting template employers can adopt directly.

Frequently asked questions

Does Maryland's pay transparency law apply to small businesses?

Yes — there is no size threshold. The Wage Range Transparency Act applies to every employer with a position performed at least in part in Maryland, regardless of headcount, effective October 1, 2024.

What must a Maryland job posting include?

A good-faith minimum-and-maximum wage range, a general description of benefits, and any other compensation such as bonuses or commissions — in both internal and external postings. Maryland's Department of Labor publishes a template employers can use.

Does Maryland's law cover remote jobs?

It covers positions physically performed at least in part in Maryland. Roles performed entirely outside the state are excluded, so a remote role tied to Maryland — even partially — should carry a compliant posting.

Related guides

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