Maryland's Economic Stabilization Act requires advance notice for certain layoffs, and the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act provides strong anti-discrimination protections.
Statutory Severance
None required
MESA Threshold
50+ employees, 60 days notice
Key Law
MD Economic Stabilization Act, MFEPA
Negotiability
Moderate — stronger than many mid-Atlantic states
Model your entitlement using jurisdiction-specific rules and Bardal factor analysis.
Important: These estimates reflect typical negotiated settlement ranges — but your actual entitlement depends heavily on your employment contract terms and applicable state law. Not sure if your contract is enforceable? Get your free full analysis — first analysis is free.
Severance offers often expire in 5–7 days
Acting early significantly improves your negotiation outcome. Don't let the clock run out on your entitlement.
Lawyer-backed analysis
Built on thousands of real cases and jurisdiction-specific precedents — not generic templates
Results in 2–3 minutes
Our system analyses your contract instantly, so you can act before your offer expires
1000+ employees served
Across Canada and the United States
What happens next
Upload your employment contract
Share your contract and severance offer. Takes under 2 minutes.
Get your fairness analysis
We cross-reference your jurisdiction and thousands of real cases to assess whether your offer is fair — and whether it's worth fighting.
Connect with a partner lawyer
If legal action makes sense, we match you with a vetted employment lawyer in our partner network.
First analysis free · $49 for additional cases
U.S. at-will doctrine applies in most states · Estimates are illustrative · Not legal advice · Consult a qualified employment attorney
Maryland employees have no statutory right to severance pay, but the Maryland Economic Stabilization Act (MESA) provides advance notice requirements for certain larger layoffs. The state's anti-discrimination laws are strong, giving workers meaningful legal recourse.
No. Maryland law does not require employers to pay severance. If your employer has a written severance policy or your contract provides for severance, those are enforceable. Otherwise, severance is at the employer's discretion.
MESA requires Maryland employers with 50 or more employees to provide at least 60 days advance notice before a qualifying reduction in operations (layoffs of 25% or more of the workforce, or 15 or more employees). This covers smaller employers than the federal WARN Act's 100-employee threshold, extending notice rights to more Maryland workers.
The MFEPA prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and other characteristics. It applies to employers with 15 or more employees and provides a private right of action. If your termination was discriminatory, MFEPA claims can significantly strengthen your severance negotiating position.
Other US states
Content last updated March 2026. This tool provides estimates only and does not constitute legal advice. For a complete analysis of your specific severance package, use the full contract analysis and jurisdiction-matched review.