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Maryland Minimum Wage and Overtime Law - Employment Standards Service (ESS)

Minimum Wage Rates

Maryland

Under the Fair Wage Act, all employers (regardless of size) pay $15 per hour

Montgomery County (As of July 1, 2024)*

  • 51 or more employees $17.15
  • 11 to 50 employees $15.50
  • 10 or fewer employees $15

* Future rates increased by CPI-W

Howard County (As of January 1, 2024)

  • 15 or more employees - $15.00 ($16 on 1/1/25)
  • Less than 15 - $15.50 on 1/1/26, ($16 7/1/26)

Download the posters (download Adobe Acrobat for free) - the posters below reflect law updates.

Find more information regarding the Montgomery County Minimum Wage.

Find more information regarding the Howard County Minimum Wage.

(Labor and Employment Article, Title 3, Subtitle 4, Annotated Code of Maryland)

Minimum Wage Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Minimum Wage

Most employees must be paid the Maryland State Minimum Wage Rate.

Tipped Employees Tipped Employees (earning more than $30 per month in tips) must earn the State Minimum Wage Rate per hour. Employers must pay at least $3.63 per hour. This amount plus tips must equal at least the State Minimum Wage Rate. Subject to the adoption of related regulations, restaurant employers who utilize a tip credit are required to provide employees with a written or electronic wage statement for each pay period showing the employee’s effective hourly rate of pay including employer paid cash wages plus tips for tip credit hours worked for each workweek of the pay period.

Amusement and recreational establishments must pay employees the required Minimum Wage Rate.

Employees under 18 years of age must earn at least 85% of the State Minimum Wage Rate.

Overtime

Most employees must be paid 1.5 times their usual hourly rate for all work over 40 hrs. per week. Exceptions:

  • Bowling establishments, and institutions providing on-premise care (other than hospitals) to the sick, the aged, or individuals with disabilities for all work over 48 hrs. per week
  • Agricultural workers for all work over 60 hrs. per week (Maryland Wage and Hour Agriculture Exemptions brochure)

Exemptions

Minimum Wage and Overtime Exemptions:

  • Immediate family member of the employer
  • Certain agricultural employees
  • Executives, administrative, and professional employees
  • Volunteers for educational, charitable, religious, and non-profit organizations
  • Employees under 16 working less than 20 hours per week
  • Outside salespersons
  • Commissioned employees
  • Employees enrolled as a trainee as part of a public school special education program
  • Non-administrative employees of organized camps
  • Certain establishments selling food and drink for consumption on the premises grossing less than $400,000 annually
  • Drive-in theaters
  • Establishments engaged in the first canning, packing or freezing of fruits, vegetables, poultry, or seafood

Overtime Only Exemptions
(must earn the State Minimum Wage Rate):

  • Taxicab drivers
  • Certain employees selling/servicing automobiles, farm equipment, trailers, or trucks
  • Non-profit concert promoter, theater, music festival, music pavilion, or theatrical show
  • Employers subject to certain railroad requirements of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, the Federal Motor Carrier Act, and the Interstate Commerce Commission
  • Seasonal amusement and recreational establishments that meet certain criteria

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO FILE A COMPLAINT, CONTACT:
Employment Standards Service
Maryland Department of Labor
10946 West Golden Drive, Suite 160
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21031
410-767-2357
E-mail address: dldliemploymentstandards-labor@maryland.gov

EMPLOYERS ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO POST THIS INFORMATION.
PAY RECORDS MUST BE KEPT FOR 3 YEARS ON OR ABOUT THE PLACE OF WORK.
PENALTIES ARE PRESCRIBED FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW