Hundreds rally in Annapolis to support employment bills

Hundreds of  advocates, homeless, and service providers descended on Annapolis on February 28 to support a series of employment bills that could help the  unemployed.

The bills are:

INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE, HOUSE BILL 1204/SENATE BILL 683

This bill would increase the minimum wage to $10.00 in 2015.

SICK AND SAFE LEAVE: HOUSE BILL 735/SENATE BILL 698

This bill would allow Marylanders to earn one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked on the job. It supports needs of domestic violence victims, sexual assault or stalking. “Safe time” lets a worker used paid leave for medical attention, relocation or accessing legal services.

BAN THE BOX: SENATE BILL 4

The bill would remove the question asking about an applicants criminal history from some state employment  It does not  require private employers to remove the question from their applications.

CRIMINAL RECORD SHIELDING: HOUSE BILL 1006/SENATE BILL 701

Both the House and Senate bill  would “shield” from the public some misdemeanor criminal records after a three-year waiting period once the individual has completed their sentence. It doesn’t expunge records.

SOURCE OF INCOME: HOUSE BILL 603/SENATE BILL 487

Both the House and Senate bills prohibit landlords from denying a potential tenant based on the applicant’s legal source of income.

Supporters of these bills also lobbied for housing, healthcare and social services for vulnerable Marylanders, advocating the Department of Housing and Community Development should  invest in affordable housing for those living at or near poverty.  Advocates say funding must be continued and increased for healthcare, mental health and addictions services. Safety net programs such as TDAP (Temporary Disability Assistance program)  provide a $185 loan to adults with serious medical disabilities who are unable to work.

Those attending the rally met with many delegates and senators. They told their personal stories about how these bills affect their daily lives.

Hopefully, the senators and representatives heard their call and will vote accordingly.

Check out Word on the Street for more information.