Maryland Senate votes to delay paid sick leave requirement

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - The Maryland Senate has voted to delay until July a law requiring many businesses to provide paid sick leave.

The vote came Thursday, just three days before the new law was scheduled to take effect.

Those who pushed for the delay say businesses aren’t ready to allow the estimated 700,000 workers without paid sick leave to start accruing it.

The General Assembly voted last month to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of the bill. Hogan had said the bill would be damaging to small businesses.

The law will require businesses with 15 or more employees to provide up to five days of paid sick leave a year.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the Senate approved the delay by a 29-17 vote. It now goes to the House of Delegates.

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Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com