Employment Agencies

In 2008, the Employment Agencies Law was amended by the Maryland General Assembly to give the Commissioner of Labor and Industry (“Commissioner”) authority to ensure compliance with the penal bond requirement of Section 9-301(a) & (b), Business Regulation Article, Annotated Code of Maryland. Sections 9-301(a) and (b) require that each employment agency submit to the Commissioner a penal bond in the amount of $7000. If the required penal bond is not submitted, the Commissioner has the authority to direct that such bond be submitted and to impose a civil penalty of $500-$1000.

The State of Maryland requires all employment agencies to obtain a penal bond and submit the bond to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry before doing business in the State. An employment agency is generally a person, partnership or corporation which, for a fee:

(a) obtains, offers to obtain, or attempts to obtain:

     (1) an employee for a person who seeks an employee, or

     (2) employment for clients; or

(b) provides a client with information to enable the client to obtain employment.

(c) obtains, offers to obtain, or attempts to obtain employment or an engagement in connection with an entertainment, exhibition, or performance.

(d) obtains, offers to obtain, or attempts to obtain an alien labor certification or immigrant visa for an individual; and participates directly or indirectly in the recruitment or supply of an individual who resides outside of the continental United States for employment in the continental United States.

• Employment Agency Law
• Employment Agency Bond form (PDF document, 46KB, download Adobe Acrobat for free)
• Employment Agency complaint form (PDF document, 192KB, download Adobe Acrobat for free)

For more information, contact:

Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Division of Labor and Industry
1100 North Eutaw Street
Room 606
Baltimore, MD  21201
Telephone Number: (410) 767-2241
Fax Number: (410) 767-2986
E-mail Address: dli@dllr.state.md.us

Updated December 4, 2012