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<section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="3-1708" title_number="3" title_name="Employment Standards and Conditions" subtitle_number="17" subtitle_name="Maryland Essential Workers' Protection Act">
  <level label="a">
    <text>If an essential worker believes that an essential employer has violated § 3–1704 of this subtitle:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the essential worker may seek enforcement of rights under § 5–604 of this article; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the Commissioner shall respond in accordance with the enforcement provisions under Title 5 of this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If an essential worker believes that an essential employer has violated § 3–1706 of this subtitle, the essential worker may file a written complaint with the Commissioner.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Within 90 days after the receipt of a written complaint, the Commissioner shall conduct an investigation and attempt to resolve the issue informally through mediation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If the Commissioner is unable to resolve an issue through mediation during the period stated in paragraph (2) of this subsection and the Commissioner determines that an essential employer has violated this subtitle, the Commissioner shall issue an order.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An order issued under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>shall describe the violation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>shall direct the payment of the full monetary value of any unpaid public health emergency leave and any actual economic damages;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>may, in the Commissioner’s discretion, direct the payment of an additional amount of up to three times the value of the essential worker’s hourly wage for each violation; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>may, in the Commissioner’s discretion, assess a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each essential worker for whom the employer is not in compliance with this subtitle.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The actions taken under paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection are subject to the hearing and notice requirements of Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Within 30 days after the Commissioner issues an order, an employer shall comply with the order.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If an essential worker believes that an essential employer has violated any other provision of this subtitle:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the essential worker may file a written complaint with the Commissioner; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the Commissioner shall respond in accordance with the enforcement provisions under Title 5 of this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
