Maryland overtime.
Maryland layers its own overtime rules on top of the federal FLSA baseline.
MD
40
hrs
—
—
$15.00
/hr
How Maryland calculates overtime.
Weekly overtime
Hours over 40 per workweek paid at 1.5×
Daily overtime
Not required by state law
Double time
Not required by state law
7th consecutive day
No special rule
Calculate your Maryland overtime
The weekly timesheet automatically applies MD rules.
Who's outside the rules
These categories of employees may be exempt from the overtime requirements above:
01
Executive, administrative, and professional employees
Maryland follows federal weekly overtime rules.
Maryland Department of Labor
(410) 767-2241
https://www.dllr.state.md.us
Maryland at a glance
Maryland's economy benefits significantly from its proximity to Washington, D.C., with the federal government and defense sector driving substantial employment. The state is also a national leader in biotechnology and life sciences, with the industry contributing $20 billion annually and ranking third among the nation's top biopharma clusters.
Industries with frequent overtime
Federal Government and Defense Contracting
With Fort Meade employing 63,000 workers and numerous federal agencies headquartered in the state, government contractors and support staff frequently work overtime during project deadlines and fiscal year-end periods.
Biotechnology and Life Sciences
Laboratory technicians, research staff, and pharmaceutical manufacturing workers often work overtime during clinical trials, research projects, and production deadlines.
Healthcare
With Johns Hopkins accounting for nearly 94,000 jobs, nurses, technicians, and hospital support staff commonly work overtime due to patient care demands.
Cybersecurity and Technology
Home to NSA, U.S. Cyber Command, and numerous tech companies, IT professionals and security analysts often work extended hours during security incidents and project implementations.
Maryland overtime FAQ
Maryland requires overtime pay at 1.5 times your regular hourly rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. With the minimum wage at $15.00 per hour as of 2024, the minimum overtime rate is $22.50 per hour.
Under the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law, you have up to three years to file a claim for unpaid wages. For overtime claims under federal law, the deadline is two years, extended to three years for willful violations.
You can file a civil lawsuit to recover up to three times the amount of unpaid wages, plus penalties and legal costs. You may also recover liquidated damages equal to the unpaid wages under certain circumstances.
Filing a wage claim in Maryland
If you believe you're owed unpaid overtime, here's what to do — in order.
Contact the Employment Standards Service at the Maryland Department of Labor at 410-767-2357 or email [email protected].
File a written complaint with the Commissioner of Labor and Industry, providing documentation of hours worked and wages owed.
You may also file with the federal Wage and Hour Division if your employer is covered by FLSA.
For significant violations, consider filing a civil lawsuit to recover up to three times unpaid wages plus attorney's fees.
Maryland has a large concentration of federal employees and government contractors who may be subject to different overtime rules. Federal employees are typically covered by the Federal Employees Pay Act rather than FLSA, while contractor employees generally follow FLSA rules. Workers should verify which regulations apply to their specific employment situation.
For general education only. Overtime law changes and has exceptions not listed here. For a specific situation, talk to your employer's HR department, the Maryland Department of Labor, or an employment attorney.