One of the most important responsibilities of your union is ensuring that the Unit G contract is applied fairly and consistently. During 2025 and into 2026, MPEC has continued to challenge State actions that we believe conflict with the negotiated rights and benefits contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Holiday Grievances Update: Carter Holiday & December 26
The contract enforcement year began and ended with disputes over the State's application of holiday provisions.
In January 2025, MPEC challenged the State's failure to properly recognize the federally declared holiday honoring former President Jimmy Carter. Later that same year, MPEC filed a second unit-wide grievance after the State designated December 26 as "liberal leave" rather than recognizing it as a contractual holiday under Article 7 of the Unit G MOU.
Since filing the December 26 grievance, MPEC has engaged in discussions with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). As a result, the parties agreed that the outcome of the Carter Holiday case will also determine the resolution of the December 26 dispute.
Both cases center on the same fundamental question:
When the President of the United States proclaims a holiday or non-working day, must that day be recognized as a holiday under the Unit G MOU?
Rather than litigating the issue twice, the parties agreed to seek a single, binding interpretation through the Carter Holiday case. The matter is currently pending before the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County and is awaiting a hearing date.
The court's decision will provide important guidance on how similar holiday declarations must be handled in the future and could impact holiday benefits for Unit G employees going forward.
MPEC remains committed to defending the contract and protecting negotiated benefits. We will continue to pursue this matter through the legal process and provide updates as significant developments occur.
Emergency Conditions Grievance Update
MPEC is also continuing to pursue the January 2026 Emergency Conditions grievance, which is currently pending before the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) and awaiting a hearing date.
Under Article 9, Section 5 of the Unit G MOU, employees who are required to work during an official State emergency closure are entitled to enhanced compensation, commonly referred to as the "two-for-one" benefit.
Although a State of Emergency was declared beginning January 24, 2026, the official State personnel closure did not begin until 6:00 a.m. on January 26 and remained in effect until 10:00 a.m. on January 27.
The grievance seeks to address two issues:
- Employees who teleworked during the official closure period but did not receive the required two-for-one compensation; and
- Employees who were charged personal leave during the closure period when leave should not have been deducted.
Emergency provisions exist to ensure fairness, safety, and predictable compensation during extraordinary circumstances. When the State officially closes government operations, normal work expectations are suspended. If employees are required to work during that period, the contract provides specific protections and compensation requirements.
MPEC is pursuing this grievance to ensure those contractual protections are enforced consistently and that affected employees are made whole.
Contract enforcement matters. Whether protecting holiday benefits, emergency compensation, or other negotiated rights, MPEC will continue to hold the State accountable and defend the rights secured through collective bargaining.