For the purposes of this subtitle:
(a) The term "person" includes one or more individuals, labor unions,
partnerships, associations, corporations, legal representatives, mutual
companies, joint-stock companies, trusts, unincorporated
organizations, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, or receivers.
(b) The term "employer" means a person engaged in an industry or
business who has fifteen or more employees for each working day in each
of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar
year, and any agent of such a person; such term does include the State
of Maryland to the extent as may be provided in this article but such
term does not include a bona fide private membership club (other than a
labor organization) which is exempt from taxation under § 501(c) of
the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) The term "employment agency" means any person regularly undertaking
with or without compensation to procure employees for an employer or to
procure for employees opportunities to work for an employer and
includes an agent or such a person; but shall not include an agency of
the United States or an agency of the State of Maryland or political
subdivision thereof, except such term shall include the United States
Employment Service and the system of State and local employment
services receiving federal assistance.
(d) The term "labor organization" means a labor organization engaged in
an industry and any agent of such an organization, and includes any
organization of any kind, any agency, or employee representation
committee, group, association, or plan so engaged in which employees
participate and which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of
dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages,
rates of pay, hours, or other terms or conditions of employment, and
any conference, general committee, joint or system board, or joint
council so engaged which is subordinate to a national or international
labor organization.
(e) The term "employee" means an individual employed by an employer,
except that "employee" does not include any person elected to
public office or any person chosen by the officer to be on the
officer's personnel staff, or an appointee in the policy making level
or an immediate advisor with respect to the exercise of the
constitutional or legal powers of the office. The exception set forth
in the preceding sentence does not include employees subject to the
State or local civil service laws.
(f) The term "religion" includes all aspects of religious observances
and practice, as well as belief, except in those cases when the
observance, practice, or belief cannot be reasonably accommodated by an
employer without causing undue hardship on the conduct of the
employer's business.
(g) The term "disability" means any physical disability, infirmity,
malformation or disfigurement which is caused by bodily injury, birth
defect or illness including epilepsy, and which shall include, but not
be limited to, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical
coordination, blindness or visual impairment, deafness or hearing
impairment, muteness or speech impediment or physical reliance on a
seeing eye dog, wheelchair, or other remedial appliance or device; and
any mental impairment or deficiency as, but not limited to, retardation
or such other which may have necessitated remedial or special education
and related services.
(h) "Genetic information" has the meaning stated in § 27-909(a)(3) of
the Insurance Article.
(i) "Genetic test" has the meaning stated in § 27-909(a)(5) of the
Insurance Article.
(j) "Sexual orientation" means the identification of an individual as
to male or female homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality.
|
