HR and future of work · Industry brief

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Maryland's Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program will require employers to begin contributions on January 1, 2027, with benefits available starting January 1, 2028. The program covers leave for bonding with a new child, serious health conditions, caring for family members, and military-related needs. Employers with at least one employee performing qualified employment in Maryland must participate unless they secure an Equivalent Private Insurance Plan (EPIP) approved by the Maryland Department of Labor. Employers must register with FAMLI, update payroll systems to withhold and report contributions, determine small-employer status (fewer than 15 employees receives 50 percent contribution rate), and revise leave policies to coordinate with existing FMLA, PTO, and disability programs. Those considering private plans must submit a Declaration of Intent between September 1 and November 15, 2026, to be exempt from contributions during the seeding period. Employers should prepare employee notices before January 2027 (required one pay period before withholding begins, at hire, annually, and when leave may be FAMLI-eligible), train managers to identify qualifying leave requests, and establish claims-response processes with five-business-day response requirements. The Maryland DOL FAMLI Division provides registration resources, wage and hour reporting templates, and private plan guidance; third-party administrators can register and facilitate client connections but cannot register on behalf of clients. Source: Shulman Rogers alert on Maryland FAMLI implementation requirements.

Dutch staffing M&A activity rebounded in the first half of 2026 with sixteen deals across temporary staffing, recruitment, consultancy, HR software and talent management, according to an industry brief from Flexmarkt. New regulations around equivalent pay, client-level collective labour agreements and WTTA certification are driving consolidation, particularly among smaller firms seeking to join larger groups with stronger compliance capabilities. HR tech is becoming increasingly relevant in the market, reflecting a broader shift toward more scalable and efficient operating models, with strategic acquirers pursuing buy-and-build strategies and private equity investors backing platforms like Atlas NextWave and Werkis.