Industry Professional Members THE MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL
by Kimberly K. Egan, MHC President
SUBHEAD: NEW MINIMUM WAGE AS OF JAN. 1, 2024 Hourly minimum wage rates went up across Maryland on January 1.
T ese rates are signifi cantly higher than the Federal minimum wage, and they apply to any person who is employed in Maryland, regardless of where the employee lives. In Maryland, there is a state-wide rate and then separate, and higher, rates for Montgomery County, as shown below.
raised over $300,000 to fi x a leaky roof and replace arena footing. Much more is needed. On December 22, 2023, the M-NCPPC, (after receiving an engineer-
ing report in November), informed PHC that it must vacate the Main Barn and arena – the major venue for entire operation – and relocate to elsewhere on the property by the end of January. T is order imposed a signifi cant burden on operations, but PHC is committed to doing every- thing it can to stay in business. For more info and updates, visit the website:
potomachorsecenter.com and join the mailing list,
preservepotomachorsecenter@gmail.com.
T ere are a number of categories of farm employees who may be ex-
empt from the minimum wage and overtime requirements, depending on such factors as the size of the operation (i.e., total number of hours worked by), the age of the worker and any familial relationship with oth- er workers, the number of hours worked by a particular worker, etc. Of particular note is one category of horse industry employees who are not entitled to minimum wage, and those are employees who spend at least 50% of their time on the job “engaged principally in the range produc- tion of livestock,” including horses. T is language mirrors the language in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. T e U.S. Department of Labor’s regulations explain that to “qualify for this exemption the primary duty and responsibility of a range employee must be to take care of the ani- mals actively or to stand by in readiness for that purpose.” 29 C.F.R. sec, 780.325. More information about agricultural exemptions to Maryland’s wage and hour law can be found here.
https://www.dllr.state.md.us/ forms/essagexempt.pdf. T is means that horse industry employers must pay at least minimum
wage to everyone else: riding instructors, trainers, camp counselors, fa- cilities maintenance staff , bookkeepers, and the like.
MEMBER NEWS For some time now, the operators of the historic Potomac Horse Cen-
ter (PHC) have been in discussions with the facility owner, the Mary- land-National Capital Park and Planning Committee (M-NCPPC), over much needed repairs to the 60 year old facility. T e discussions have yet to result in any action. Meanwhile, supporters of PHC have privately
T e Maryland Horse Industry Board has awarded grants to nine of our Industry Professional members, including: • Chesapeake T erapeutic Riding for costs associated with organizing a fi rst ever “Hoofi ng It” 5K fun run on the farm’s 28 acres to raise aware- ness of the center’s programs; • Coexist Stables to support a Natural Horsemanship Clinic & Open House to introduce Marylanders to horses; • Days End Farm Horse Rescue to support their educational programs for Animal Control offi cers and Equine County investigators; • T e Fair Hill Emergency Response Team to fund a team of 24 volun- teers and to hold two technical large animal training clinics; • Fair Hill International to help purchase a new jump rail caddy for the horse trials, schooling days, Derby Cross competitions and other events it hosts each year; • Frederick 4-H/Silverado for purchase of a 19” saddle to fi t large thera- peutic horses with the the help of a Maryland saddle maker and fi tter; • T e Maryland Horse Foundation for equipment and technology to develop a repository of oral Maryland horse histories; • Maryland T erapeutic Riding to support its Annual Spring Open House & Horse Show; and • T e Waredaca Pony Club Riding Center for funds to host the Mary- land Regional Tetrathlon Rally for 80+ competitors.
T e Maryland Horse Foundation has opened the application period
for the 2024 Maryland T oroughbred Career Program (MTCP), which will run from June 3-7, 2024. Applications are due April 19. According to the Maryland Horse Foundation’s Executive Director Cricket Good- all, the program “off ers a great opportunity to see behind the scenes in the various components of the industry from reproduction to racetrack operations.” T e Foundation “hope[s] to show these young people that love horses that you can make a career out of that passion.” As the Foundation’s website explains, the MTCP program began in
2017 to: (i) increase awareness of the diverse career options in the T or- oughbred racing industry; (ii) give participants access to leaders in the Maryland T oroughbred racing community; (iii) highlight various paths for pursuing a career in the T oroughbred industry; and (iv) address a critical need to attract and retain experienced and devoted employees.
join.mdhorsecouncil.org 38 | FEBRUARY 2024 | THE EQUIERY YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION 800-244-9580 |
www.equiery.com
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