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<section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="3-1705" title_number="3" title_name="Employment Standards and Conditions" subtitle_number="17" subtitle_name="Maryland Essential Workers' Protection Act">
  <level label="a">
    <text>During an emergency, if an essential worker or any other worker has contracted the communicable disease that is the subject of the emergency at a work site, the essential employer shall take proactive steps to minimize the risk of transmission, including informing essential workers that they may have been exposed.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, if an essential worker’s health insurance coverage or other benefits do not cover the cost of testing for the communicable disease that is the subject of the emergency, during an emergency, the essential employer shall pay for testing for the communicable disease.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An essential employer is not subject to the requirement under paragraph (1) of this subsection if an essential worker is able to obtain testing free of charge.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, each essential employer shall report all positive test results to the Maryland Department of Health.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>When reporting to the Maryland Department of Health, the essential employer shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>include demographic information about the essential worker; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>redact any personal identifying information to protect the identity of the essential worker.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Maryland Department of Health shall collect positive test results, categorize the results by industry, and publish the results in a format that is readily accessible to the general public.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Commissioner shall adopt regulations as necessary to carry out this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
