Maryland has been steadily strengthening employee protections against non-competes. In 2026, significant restrictions apply based on your salary and profession — particularly if you work in healthcare.
Maryland's Salary Threshold for Non-Medical Employees
For employees who do not work in healthcare, Maryland requires that you earn more than 150% of the state minimum wage for a non-compete to be enforceable. In 2026, with Maryland's minimum wage at $15 per hour, this means:
- Employees earning less than approximately $46,800 per year ($22.50/hour) cannot be subject to non-compete agreements
- This threshold will increase again on July 1, 2026 as Maryland's minimum wage rises
✅ If you earn below the 150% minimum wage threshold, your non-compete is void under Maryland law. Maryland employers who include unenforceable non-competes in employment contracts face legal liability.
Healthcare Worker Protections — Major 2025 Changes
Maryland enacted extensive new restrictions on non-competes for medical professionals that took effect July 1, 2025:
- Licensed medical professionals providing direct patient care earning $350,000 or less — non-compete agreements are completely prohibited
- Medical professionals earning above $350,000 — non-competes are allowed but capped at 1 year in duration and a 10-mile radius geographic restriction
⚠️ If you are a physician, nurse, nurse practitioner, or other licensed healthcare provider in Maryland earning $350,000 or less per year, your non-compete is void under Maryland law as of July 1, 2025. This is one of the strongest physician non-compete protections in the country.
For Higher-Earning Non-Healthcare Employees
For employees above the salary threshold who do not work in healthcare, Maryland courts apply a reasonableness standard. Non-competes must:
- Protect a legitimate employer interest
- Be reasonable in time and geographic scope
- Be supported by adequate consideration
- Not impose undue hardship on the employee
Maryland courts will modify overbroad non-competes rather than voiding them entirely — similar to most mid-Atlantic states.
Consideration in Maryland
Maryland requires that employees receive something of value in exchange for signing a non-compete. Employment itself is adequate consideration for agreements signed at hire. Mid-employment non-competes should be supported by additional benefit — a raise, promotion, or new access to confidential information — beyond merely continuing employment.