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Maryland employers with 15 or more employees are covered by the reasonable-accommodation requirements in the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (Md. State Gov’t § 20-601 et seq.). Harassment claims may be brought against employers of any size. “Disability” follows the ADA definition.
Since October 1, 2013, § 20-609 has separately required accommodation of disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy at the same 15-employee threshold. House Bill 1397, effective October 1, 2024, harmonized protected characteristics across Maryland’s statutes and extended the accommodation duty expressly to job applicants.
Employers must provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees and applicants with disabilities unless doing so would result in undue hardship. Examples include modified schedules, adaptive equipment, accessible workplaces, job restructuring, and unpaid leave.
For pregnancy, § 20-609 lists accommodations including:
Where an employee requests a transfer, the employer must grant it if it has a policy or practice of transferring other temporarily disabled employees, or if it can be done without undue hardship. The employee is entitled to return to the original position when the accommodation ends.
Maryland ties documentation for pregnancy accommodations to how the employer treats other employees: an employer may require certification from a health care provider only if it requires the same of other temporarily disabled employees, and the certification may cover only the date the accommodation became medically advisable, its probable duration, and an explanatory statement of the medical advisability.
For disability accommodation generally, requests should be limited to confirming the disability and the need, and kept confidential.
A timely, good-faith interactive process is required; there is no fixed statutory deadline. Maryland’s paid family and medical leave program (FAMLI) has been delayed — contributions now begin January 1, 2027 and benefits in 2028 — and will run alongside accommodation duties once live.
Complaints are filed with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights within 300 days (two years for harassment). The Commission investigates and may conciliate; a civil action is available after the administrative stage. Remedies include corrective action, up to two years of back pay, reinstatement, and compensatory damages capped by employer size, with punitive damages where the employer acted with malice.
Managing accommodation requests under the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act can be tedious—multiple forms, interactive‑process deadlines, and cross‑department coordination all add complexity.
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This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Employment laws change frequently and vary by jurisdiction. Consult qualified employment counsel before acting on any information here. Last reviewed: September 2026.
