Maryland Department of Labor

Join our Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning and help to lead initiatives that shape and strengthen Maryland’s workforce ecosystem. Apply today! Director of Workforce Development > https://bit.ly/4hUu3Fg

It’s National Consumer Protection Week! Join us for a FREE webinar on the Top Scams in Maryland and learn how to protect yourself. Webinar is March 6 at 2 p.m. Register at https://lnkd.in/eFNGw6gM. Learn about: · Government Imposter Scams · Tech Scams · Job Scams · Romance Scams · Crypto Scams · Mortgage Scams · Student Loan Scams · Debt Management Scams #NCPW2025 #Scams

Maryland Secretary of Labor Portia Wu joined the Maryland Tradeswomen Summit 2025 on Saturday at Howard Community College to celebrate the remarkable women leading the way in skilled trades! As we mark #WomensHistoryMonth, we recognize how apprenticeship is empowering women in Maryland by creating pathways to good wages, job security, and career growth. Maryland’s workforce future is diverse, dynamic, and determined. Let’s keep pushing forward together! Share this with a tradeswoman who inspires you. . . . Photos with Maryland Center for Construction Education and Innovation (MCCEI) staff and attendees. #WICWeek #Tradeswomen #TradeswomenSummit #WomeninConstruction

“Our public servants are the best of us — true patriots of the highest order who have raised their hands to give back to our communities. Maryland is mobilizing to ensure they get the support they deserve. Together, we will continue to confront crisis with courage.” —Gov. Wes Moore We were proud to join Gov. Moore in Annapolis today as he announced actions to help Marylanders impacted by federal workforce layoffs, firings, and changes to federal funding — like job fairs across the state, connections with career opportunities in state government, and expanded online resources, including on the MD Labor website. https://ow.ly/wWb650V8Qjf

Today we conclude our celebration of Black History Month, an important opportunity for us to reflect on the vital contributions, voices, and experiences of Black Americans. This Black History Month has highlighted the theme “African Americans and Labor.” The Association for the Study of African American Life and History describes this as an opportunity to focus on “the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds – free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary – intersect with the collective experiences of Black people.” Across our state, Marylanders have been marking this month by highlighting Black voices past and present. Here are just a few examples: • The Baltimore Museum of Industry hosted the panel discussion “Black Voices of Baltimore,” led by Alanah Nichole Davis, Baltimore’s chief storyteller. • The City of Laurel (Prince George’s County) hosted a student essay contest with winners invited to celebrate with Mayor Sydnor at City Hall. • Dorchester County invited guests to learn about the birthplace of Harriet Tubman and home of civil rights and economic development icon Gloria Richardson. • The City of Rockville (Montgomery County) showcased a new community center mural, and launched the podcast series “Conversations in Black.” It’s essential we continue to honor Black history and Black voices all year long through our steadfast commitment to supporting Black communities in Maryland. I’m proud to work at an agency that focuses on ensuring all Marylanders have equal access to opportunities and resources  to pursue careers, attain financial stability, grow businesses, and have safe and fair workplaces. (Photo by Alfred Palmer, 1939, Courtesy of the Library of Congress)

Today, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller advocated for expanding Registered Apprenticeship through the RAISE Act, noting: “For Marylanders to secure good-paying middle-class jobs, we need to create clear pathways and real opportunities. That’s exactly what House Bill 501 delivers.” The bottom line, said Sec. Wu, is that “the RAISE Act will strategically expand Registered Apprenticeship across Maryland, increase our professional talent pipelines, and grow our economy.” (Photo from prior RAISE Act hearing, 2/19/2025, via Maryland GovPics)

Maryland is at a pivotal moment. Federal changes will have massive impacts on our economy. Now, more than ever, our State needs to prioritize economic growth, diversification, and resilience. We must build pathways of opportunity and strengthen economic safety nets and critical protections. Today, Maryland Secretary of Labor Portia Wu testified at a Senate budget hearing, sharing how MD Labor’s budget focuses on: ✅ Growing Maryland’s skilled workforce, particularly in lighthouse and growth sectors like cybersecurity, biotechnology, aerospace, healthcare, and infrastructure;  ✅ Creating more opportunities and pathways for Marylanders through registered apprenticeship, licensing, and education and training programs, which will also provide the talent that Maryland businesses need to grow; ✅ Safeguarding Marylanders’ economic and financial security through sound regulation and protecting workers and consumers; and ✅ Supporting our social safety net systems to support Marylanders during these uncertain economic times. Check out the testimony to learn how the proposed budget will help our state reach its full potential and create a more prosperous Maryland. https://lnkd.in/esFwxER5

Were you formerly employed by the federal government and impacted by the most recent downsizing? Register now for our upcoming Federal Career Transition Hiring Event! This event will be held at the O'Malley Senior Center on Thursday, March 20th from 4 - 7 p.m. Hosted in partnership with Anne Arundel County Government, you will be able to connect with a variety of employers from county and state agencies, private sector businesses, and more. To register, visit https://lnkd.in/eS-VYicc today! Anne Arundel County Office of Personnel #AAWDC #WorkforceDevelopment #NowHiring #HiringEvent #FederalWorkers #CareerSuccess

AI brings with it both risks and opportunities. MD Labor was honored to participate in this AI symposium convened by Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller. As Secretary of Labor Portia Wu recently shared, "It is important to ensure that the state government workforce is prepared to use AI safely, responsively, and effectively, to better serve Marylanders."

Maryland’s Joint Enforcement Task Force on Workplace Fraud, re-established by Gov. Wes Moore in January 2024, just released its annual report revealing the magnitude of worker misclassification in Maryland, and what we’re doing about it. Misclassified workers lose out on critical workplace protections, like: ✅ overtime pay ✅ access to unemployment benefits ✅ health insurance coverage and sick leave ✅ minimum wage ✅ the right to organize a union Worker misclassification—also called workplace fraud—causes significant harm to employers and the state as well. Collectively, Task Force agencies discovered over 5,500 misclassified workers through our enforcement actions. Over $36 million in unreported taxable wages were uncovered through 2024 Unemployment Insurance audits. The numbers are striking, but what really hits home in the report are the voices of Maryland workers and business owners harmed by workplace fraud who had the courage to step forward and share their experiences with Task Force members. Read the report to hear it in their own words. In 2024, our Division’s incredible wage program leadership rebuilt the State’s Workplace Fraud program from the ground up so that we have a strong, thoughtful foundation, poised for effective enforcement.  And we have been convening enforcement staff at the other Task Force agencies to collaborate. Our Division has referred over 200 cases to our Task Force partners, and our collaboration has already yielded tangible results. One workplace fraud citation issued by our Division and shared with our enforcement partners led to an unemployment insurance audit that discovered additional misclassified workers and over $1.7M in unreported wages. We’re just getting started. Check out the report for a rundown of what we’ve learned and where we’re going to combat workplace fraud: https://lnkd.in/eWYqaHkK. —Devki Virk, Commissioner of Labor and Industry