Maryland Employers Must Accommodate Disabled Job Applicants

Maryland employers must accommodate disabled job applicants under legislation that recently went into effect.

Previously, employers were only required to accommodate existing employees with disabilities.

Initially approved by the Maryland governor in May 2022, the legislation went into effect Oct. 1, 2022.

Accommodating Disabilities for Job Applicants in Maryland

Essentially, Maryland’s law adds “applicant” to previous employment discrimination law.

It now prohibits employers from “failing or refusing to make a certain accommodation for a known disability of an applicant for employment.”

However, the law does not require certain accommodations if it would place an undue hardship on the employer’s business.

The law also bars employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, etc.

Maryland’s Anti-Disability Discrimination Law

With the new law now in effect, employers in Maryland may want to consider a number of steps related to hiring.

• Review hiring practices to ensure they accommodate applicants with disabilities
• Determine how applicants with disabilities may require accommodation
• Ensure hiring managers know how to identify and address requests
• Educate managers on a merit-based hiring system

Conclusion

As companies may be gearing up for hiring this holiday season, it’s important to note the applicable laws by location, including:

• Ban the box
• Pay transparency
• Predictive scheduling

And that doesn’t even take into account labor law posters, changing minimum wage rates and updating paid leave laws.

Employers that operate in Maryland should be aware of the new anti-discrimination law for job applicants with disabilities and determine what actions may need to be taken to ensure compliance.

This Employment Law News blog is intended for market awareness only, it is not to be used for legal advice or counsel.