FMLA Attorney in Maryland

Representing Maryland Employees Whose Leave Rights Have Been Violated

When an employer denies protected leave, interferes with your right to take it, or retaliates against you for exercising it, the consequences can be swift: lost wages, a damaged career record, or termination. We represent Maryland employees facing exactly these situations. At The Law Office of Andrew M. Dansicker, our attorneys have more than 45 combined years of employment law experience and have handled FMLA claims alongside related wrongful termination and retaliation matters throughout Maryland, including the Baltimore area, Cockeysville, and Hunt Valley.

What sets our approach apart is direct experience on both sides of employment disputes. We’ve represented both employees and employers, which means we understand how defense counsel evaluates an FMLA claim before litigation even begins. That knowledge shapes how we build and position cases for the workers we represent.

If your employer denied your leave request, cut your hours after you returned, or let you go following FMLA leave, call our Maryland FMLA attorneys at (410) 213-3392 to discuss your situation.

Who Qualifies for FMLA Protection

The Family and Medical Leave Act applies to private employers with 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks in the current or prior calendar year, as well as all public agencies and public and private elementary and secondary schools. To qualify individually, an employee must have worked for that employer for at least 12 months, logged at least 1,250 hours in the prior 12 months, and work at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius.

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. Military caregiver leave can extend that to 26 weeks. Qualifying reasons include a serious health condition preventing you from working, caring for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition, the birth or placement of a child, and certain military family needs. Leave can be taken all at once or intermittently when medically necessary.

FMLA Violations Maryland Employees Face

FMLA violations fall into two categories: interference and retaliation. Interference covers a broad range of conduct beyond an outright denial.

Common forms of FMLA interference include:

• Denying or discouraging a legitimate leave request
• Failing to provide required paperwork or delaying approval
• Demanding more medical detail than is necessary to certify leave eligibility

Retaliation occurs when an employer takes an adverse action because you requested or took protected leave. Termination is the most obvious form, but demotion, reduced hours, and negative performance reviews also qualify. Employers can’t use a return from leave as a pretext for restructuring that wouldn’t have happened but for the leave, and they must restore you to the same position or an equivalent one with equivalent pay and benefits.

Maryland Leave Laws Beyond the FMLA

Maryland workers may have rights under several overlapping state and federal frameworks. Maryland’s Parental Leave Act historically required employers with 15 to 49 employees to provide up to six weeks of unpaid parental leave; as of October 1, 2025, employers already covered by federal FMLA are no longer required to comply with it.

Maryland’s FAMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance) program is forthcoming. Payroll contributions are currently set to begin January 1, 2027, with benefits expected to be available no later than January 3, 2028. Once in effect, eligible workers who have logged at least 680 hours in Maryland in the prior 12 months may receive up to $1,000 per week for up to 12 weeks of paid leave. Maryland’s Healthy Working Families Act also requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide paid earned sick and safe leave. Because these laws can overlap, evaluating a Maryland leave claim means looking at the full picture.

Why Maryland Employees Work With The Law Office of Andrew M. Dansicker

Our practice is dedicated entirely to employment law. We handle FMLA claims alongside wrongful termination, retaliation, and discrimination matters, which matters because these claims frequently arise together, and the strongest legal position often requires pursuing more than one theory.

Founded in 2008, we’ve built relationships with defense and in-house counsel throughout Maryland, which supports effective negotiation before cases reach court. We offer after-hours and weekend meetings because employment disputes don’t resolve on a nine-to-five schedule. At every stage, we keep you informed and set realistic expectations grounded in how these cases actually play out.

Contact Our Maryland FMLA Lawyers

FMLA claims carry strict filing deadlines, and evidence (emails, leave request records, performance reviews) becomes harder to obtain as time passes. The sooner you consult with an attorney, the more options you preserve.

Call The Law Office of Andrew M. Dansicker at (410) 213-3392 or reach out online to schedule a consultation. We represent employees throughout Maryland and are ready to evaluate your situation.