Maryland
The state of Maryland boasts a population of over 5.6 million, according to a 2008 census estimate. Its culture borrows attributes from Southern and Mid-Atlantic states. Maryland is famous for its crab fisheries and, due to its proximity to the nation’s capital Washington D.C., the state also supports a variety of government agencies and initiatives. The capital city, Baltimore, is home to Johns Hopkins University as well as a large number of small businesses, biotech firms, fishing and maritime companies, and tourism and research operations. Western Maryland is very different demographically from urban Baltimore and relies on an agrarian-fueled economy. Per a 2006 estimate by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Maryland rakes in a gross state product of over $ 250 billion.
The Division of Labor and Industry oversees Maryland’s labor standards. Wage and hour laws are spelled out in the state law, Title 3, subtitles four and five. The Division of Labor and Industry regulates, educates, administrates, and enforces state laws that prohibit workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour violations, retaliation practices and other unfair practices. According to both state and federal law, it is illegal for a Maryland employer to discriminate against members of protected classes; if an employer does actively discriminate, he/she and/or his/her company can be liable for damages, including wages lost.
Ever since receiving the infamous designation as “the homicide capital of the US” in the 1990, Baltimore (Maryland’s largest city) has suffered a spate of bad press. The hit drama series, The Wire, depicted Baltimore as an ethically splintered dystopia and highlighted the many inequalities inner-city residents can and do sometimes face. Unfortunately, many Maryland workers who’ve suffered harassment or discrimination do not know enough about their rights to get their employers to stop and to seek compensation for unfair practices, retaliation, and other wrongdoings.
To get insightful help into your potential Maryland discrimination case, look to the firm of Joseph, Herzfeld, Hester & Kirschenbaum.