Workers' Comp Rates — Class 9014

Workers' Comp for Janitorial in Maryland (2026)

Maryland delivered the largest NCCI rate decrease in this batch: -12.3% for 2026. The state's 2026 SAWW is $1,537, producing a TTD maximum of approximately $1,537/week (100% of SAWW). Kickstand data shows the 2025 market rate for 9014 at ~$2.00/$100, which falls further with the -12.3% reduction.

Competitive marketStatute: Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. Article §9-101 et seq. (Maryland Workers' Compensation Act); employer insurance at §9-402; benefit calculation at §9-621–§9-638; penalty at §9-407Effective: Current; 2026 rates (NCCI Maryland filing at -12.3% voluntary market loss cost decrease effective 1/1/2026 per MD Insurance Administration); benefit rates set per Maryland SAWW published annuallyLast reviewed: Q2 2026
State
Maryland
Governing Statute
Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. Article §9-101 et seq. (Maryland Workers' Compensation Act); employer insurance at §9-402; benefit calculation at §9-621–§9-638; penalty at §9-407
NCCI Class Code 9014 — Janitorial Services by Contractors, No Window Cleaning Above Ground Level & Drivers
Enforcement Agency
Maryland Workers' Compensation Commission (WCC); 10 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Civil Penalty
Failure to insure: civil penalty up to $10,000 payable to Uninsured Employers' Fund (Md. Code Lab. & Empl. §9-407(b)(2)); continued noncompliance after order: additional penalty up to $10,000; employer jointly and severally liable if corporation with insufficient assets (officers knowingly failing to insure); Uninsured Employers' Fund may bring civil action to collect; penalty is a lien against employer assets

How workers' comp works for janitorial in Maryland

Maryland is an NCCI state with a competitive private insurance market. The Maryland Workers' Compensation Commission (WCC) adjudicates all claims through a full-time body of commissioners with statewide jurisdiction. Maryland mandates coverage from the first employee — there is no minimum employee threshold. The NCCI filed a remarkable -12.3% voluntary market loss cost decrease effective January 1, 2026, the largest single-year rate reduction in this batch of states. Maryland's 2026 SAWW of $1,537 produces a TTD maximum of approximately $1,537/week — a high ceiling but paired with a competitive rate structure. The state operates an Uninsured Employers' Fund (UEF) that pays injured workers of insolvent or uninsured employers and then pursues recovery from the employer.

Class code and rate (2026)

  • Code 9014 — Janitorial Services by Contractors, No Window Cleaning Above Ground Level & Drivers. Maryland is an NCCI loss-cost state. 2025 carrier data shows approximately $2.00/$100 payroll; the NCCI's -12.3% decrease effective 1/1/2026 produces an indicative 2026 rate of approximately $1.75/$100 — among the lowest for class 9014 in the Mid-Atlantic region.
  • Code 9170 — Janitorial with above-ground window cleaning. Significantly higher loss cost; separate payroll required.

Indemnity benefits (Maryland 2026)

  • Max weekly TTD/PTD: approximately $1,537 (2026; = 100% of Maryland SAWW of $1,537 per MD legislative fiscal note for HB 346; Md. Code Lab. & Empl. §9-621).
  • Min weekly TTD: $50 (Md. Code Lab. & Empl. §9-621; absolute floor regardless of actual average weekly wage).
  • Waiting period: 3 calendar days; first 3 days paid retroactively if disability exceeds 14 days (§9-621).
  • Temporary partial disability: 50% of difference between pre-injury AWW and current wage-earning capacity, capped at 50% of SAWW (~$769 for 2026).
  • PPD awards for periods under 75 weeks: 1/3 of AWW capped at 16.7% of SAWW (~$257/week); PPD awards 75+ weeks: 2/3 of AWW capped at 100% of SAWW (~$1,537). PTD: 2/3 of AWW up to SAWW, adjusted annually for COLA.

Coverage thresholds and exemptions

  • Mandatory from first employee; no employee-count minimum (Md. Code Lab. & Empl. §9-402).
  • Exempt: domestic workers in a private home; independent contractors properly documented; real estate and insurance commission-based workers; sole proprietors and partners (may voluntarily elect coverage).
  • Corporate officers are covered as employees unless they elect exclusion in writing.
  • Maryland uses an "economic reality" test for IC classification; cleaning workers under a janitorial company's direction are almost always employees.

Failure-to-insure penalty

Under Md. Code Lab. & Empl. §9-407, an employer found to have failed to secure required WC coverage after a Show Cause hearing before the WCC is ordered to obtain coverage and may be fined up to $10,000 payable to the Uninsured Employers' Fund. Continued noncompliance after a WCC order may generate an additional penalty up to $10,000. This penalty is a lien against the employer's assets. If the employer is a corporation with insufficient assets, any officer who knowingly failed to insure is jointly and severally liable. The UEF may bring a civil action to collect. Maryland's current penalty structure — $10,000 maximum — has been widely criticized as inadequate; legislation (SB 216) has been introduced to raise the maximum to $25,000.

Cost drivers specific to janitorial in Maryland

  • Top injuries (BLS NAICS 561720): slips/falls, back/shoulder strains, chemical exposure — Maryland's concentration of federal government buildings, healthcare facilities, and commercial real estate in the DC/Baltimore corridor generates large cleaning contracts with high employee densities.
  • Maryland's -12.3% NCCI rate reduction for 2026 is the largest in this batch, creating a significant pricing opportunity for Maryland-based or Maryland-expanding janitorial companies relative to 2025 rates.
  • The state's $1,537/week TTD maximum is the highest cap in this Batch 2 group, with the exception of Iowa ($2,350); factor this into claim severity modeling for back and musculoskeletal injuries.
  • Bid-math note: at ~$1.75/$100, load WC at approximately 1.75% of gross wages in Maryland bids — a meaningful cost advantage vs. 2025 at $2.00/$100.

Primary sources

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This page is informational only. It does not constitute legal advice, tax advice, or a professional compliance determination. Laws vary by state and locality, change over time, and apply differently depending on your specific facts and circumstances. Before taking any action with legal or business consequences, consult a licensed attorney or CPA qualified in your jurisdiction.