How does workplace mediation actually work in Maryland, and is it confidential?

In a workplace mediation, a neutral mediator meets with the parties to help them talk through the dispute and work toward a resolution they create themselves; the mediator does not act as a judge, does not decide who is right, and does not impose an outcome. The process is voluntary in the sense that the participants control whether they reach an agreement, and any party may end the session. Confidentiality is a central feature: in Maryland, mediation communications are protected, and mediators are generally not permitted to testify about what was said, which allows both the employee and the employer to speak candidly. This confidentiality, combined with the private setting, is a major reason organizations often prefer mediation to a public dispute.