Maryland labor officials outline timelines, costs and outreach for Time to Care paid‑leave rollout

Portia Wu, secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, and Assistant Secretary Elliot Skyr updated the Economic Matters Committee on the department’s progress implementing the Time to Care Act, telling members the program is on a path to start payroll deductions in July 2025 and accept benefit claims on July 1, 2026.

The program, Maryland Family Medical Leave Insurance (called “family” by department staff), is designed to cover short-term wage replacement and job protection for serious family and medical events. "The paid leave system will allow 2,500,000 workers across Maryland to take care of themselves and their family members for serious family and medical events and 180,000 employers to have the insurance to help them meet these costs with greater predictability," Secretary Portia Wu said.

Nut graf: The department described two employer options — participation in a state‑run fund or purchase of an approved private plan — and laid out contribution, reporting and benefit timelines. Officials also flagged a complex portion of the law governing how self‑employed…