Lt. Governor Aruna Miller Convenes Recovery-Friendly Workplace Roundtable
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Lt. Governor Aruna Miller today brought Maryland employers, state leaders, and recovery advocates together for a roundtable discussion highlighting the state’s progress toward expanding supportive work environments for people recovering from substance use disorders. The roundtable follows Governor Wes Moore’s signing of an executive order establishing Maryland state government as a recovery-friendly workplace. Maryland is one of only four states to undertake the effort across state government at this scale.
“Today’s conversation showed the important role employers can play in helping people build and sustain recovery,” said Lt. Governor Miller. “The employers at this table are already putting that commitment into practice. By sharing what’s working, we can help more employers reduce stigma, connect people to support, and build workplaces where people in recovery have the opportunity to contribute their resilience, determination, and talent.”
Substance use disorders touch families and communities across Maryland, including the workplace. Meaningful employment can provide the stability, purpose, and connection that are critical to long-term recovery, while employers are uniquely positioned to create environments where employees feel safe seeking help without fear of stigma.
The executive order signed by Governor Moore last week updates employment policies for Maryland state employees, requiring all state agencies to provide training about substance use disorders, substance use treatment and recovery, and how to respond to overdoses. The order also updates state corrective action policies, ensuring that individuals are first offered support through the state’s Employee Assistance Program prior to punitive measures when substance use impacts their work performance.
Roundtable Highlights
Five employers that have adopted recovery-friendly workplace policies shared their experiences becoming recovery-friendly: Parker Plastics, a manufacturer based in Hagerstown; Penn North Community Resource Center, a community-based organization that provides recovery supports in Baltimore City; Voices of Hope Maryland, a community-based organization that provides recovery supports in Cecil and Harford Counties; Phoenix Mecano, a manufacture based in Frederick Maryland; and representatives from Baltimore City Government, which achieved platinum status through the state’s Recovery-Friendly Workplace program earlier this year.
Program Director of the National Recovery Friendly Workplace Institute, Eliza Zarka, also provided insight on nationwide best practices.
Participants shared the benefits they have experienced from adopting recovery-friendly practices, discussed strategies for reducing stigma and connecting employees with resources, and made recommendations that can help additional public- and private-sector employers build supportive workplaces.
“The employers in today’s roundtable are demonstrating that supporting people in recovery pays dividends," said Maryland Special Secretary of Overdose Response Emily Keller. “The business community has always been an essential partner in our work to reduce overdoses and increase access to substance use recovery. Through sharing best practices and increasing collaboration between public and private sector partners, we can make it easier for other employers to adopt these policies as well.”
Expanding Recovery-Friendly Workplaces Across Maryland
Maryland launched its Recovery Friendly Workplace program in 2023, beginning with a pilot in six jurisdictions hit particularly hard by the overdose crisis: Allegany, Cecil, Garrett, Harford, St. Mary’s, and Washington counties. The program provides resources, such as free training and technical assistance, to participating employers that hire people in recovery and foster healthy and safe working environments. The program was developed by the Maryland Department of Labor with additional funding support from the Maryland Department of Health.
“We all benefit from recovery-friendly workplaces,” said Maryland Secretary of Labor Portia Wu. “People are more successful in recovery when they have meaningful employment. And when employees have support to stay in recovery, they are more able to contribute their talents and succeed at work.”
“We have been proud to support the Recovery Friendly Workplace program, because it demonstrates how Maryland is working to improve the health of Marylanders in everything that we do,” said Maryland Secretary of Health Dr. Meena Seshamani. “Not only are recovery-friendly workplace policies a boon to our economy, they promote the long-term success of individuals in recovery, improving outcomes in communities and enabling us all to thrive."
Recovery-friendly workplace policies are designed to benefit both employees and employers. Research has found that supportive workplaces can help people sustain recovery and improve quality of life, while employers can benefit from reduced turnover, fewer unscheduled absences, improved productivity, and lower health care costs.
Over 120 Maryland businesses have been certified as recovery-friendly through the program since 2023, reaching over 18,000 employees across the state. Over 500 people have been connected to workforce and/or recovery services through the RFW program and nearly 50 people in recovery have been connected to employment through the program.
Maryland’s expansion of recovery-friendly workplaces is part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s broader effort to reduce overdose deaths, expand access to treatment and recovery services, and ensure Marylanders have the support they need to build healthy, stable lives.
Maryland has made significant progress in confronting the overdose crisis, with fatal overdoses falling by half from their pandemic-era peak and reaching their lowest level in a decade. The Administration continues to focus on sustaining that progress by expanding prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and long-term recovery supports across the state.
Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller
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Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response
Operating under the leadership of the Office of Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller and Special Secretary of Overdose Response Emily Keller, Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response works to increase collaboration across all state and local agencies working to reduce overdoses and increase access to substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services across the state.
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