Maryland employers with 50 or more employees must submit a sexual-harassment-disclosure survey electronically to the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) on or before July 1, 2020. Covered employers must complete the survey again on or before July 1, 2022. The requirements were part of Senate Bill 1010, which was enacted in 2018.
For the survey, employers with 50 or more employees must submit answers to questions covering:
· The number of settlements made by or on behalf of the employer after an allegation of sexual harassment by an employee;
· The number of times the employer has paid a settlement to resolve a sexual harassment allegation against the same employee over the past 10 years of employment and whether the employer took personnel action against an employee who was the subject of a settlement; and
· The number of settlements made after an allegation of sexual harassment that included a provision requiring both parties to keep the terms of the settlement confidential.
Employers must then e-sign and submit their responses. The MCCR will publish the aggregate number of responses to each question on its website. The MCCR will also retain records for public requests for inspection of a specific employer’s response to the question about the number of times the employer has paid a settlement to resolve a sexual harassment allegation against the same employee in the past 10 years.
Compliance Recommendations:
Covered employers should ensure they submit the survey on or before July 1, 2020. The survey may be found here. Please contact your dedicated service professional with any questions.