Zonta Club of Annapolis

Many Marylanders believe and excpect that the federal Family ad Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides job protections to all workers when having a child...It does not. 

In reality, 46% of Maryland's private sector workforce (those employed by companies with 15-50 employees) has no job securty for childbirth under the federal Family Medical Leave Act. The proposed HB 1026/SB 737 provides the much needed protection to those Maryland workers left behind. 

Without the necessary protections afforded in this piece of legislation, a woman working for the small business can legally be fired or demoted when taking time off to have a child AND lose her group health plan coverage.   The Zonta Club of Annapolis, supports HB 1026/SB 737 for the benefit of all Marylanders.

HB 307 and HB 333 Peace Orders and Protective Orders - Burden of Proof.

These bills with allow a final protective order to be obtained by proving abuse by preponderance of evidence instead of the current heavy burden of clear and convincing evidence. The preponderance of evidence means that more likely than not, an act of violence occurred.  The clear and convincing evidence standard means that it is nearly beyond a reasonable doubt that the act of violence occurred – a very high burden for the victim. 

The preponderance of evidence standard is used for the majority of family law. Reducing the evidentiary standard from clear and convincing evidence would bring these types of protections in line with other family law matters. 

Perhaps most importantly, victims of domestic violence are MORE LIKELY to pursue the final protective order and final peace order if they know that they will not be held to the higher burden of proof.

HB 309 Family Law- Domestive Violence - Permanent Protetive Orders  

Those dealing with extreme cases of domestive violence could obtain a final permanet protective order in cases where the respondent has been convicted of second degree assault and is sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment for the crime. Currently, the victim cannot obtain a family permanent protective oder until AFTER the respondent completes serving the 5 year sentence. However, the problem is that those sentenced may not serve the full 5 years, preventing the victim from ever obtaining a permanent order. This bill proposes the victim has the right to seek a final protective order after the sentencing, not the serving, of a 5 year imprisonment.