I get frustrated with the political games in our state,” Kipke said, “because I think it’s more about the next election.”

The state legislation, known as Maryland Healthy Working Families Act, would have required most employers to let workers earn up to seven days in paid sick time annually had it passed this year. More than 720,000 Maryland workers in the private sector don’t have paid sick leave, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

The bill, however, died without a vote.