Maine Labor Laws: A Complete Guide to Wages, Breaks, Overtime, and More (2025)

Employees who have worked for at least 12 months at a workplace with 15 or more employees are entitled to up to 10 weeks of unpaid leave within a two-year period for:

• Birth or adoption of a child.
• Serious illness of the employee or immediate family member.
• Organ donation.
• Death or serious health condition of the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent.

Parental leave is also available for new parents but is often included under broader family medical leave provisions.

Beginning in 2025, employer contributions to the Paid Family and Medical Leave Program will start. This program will entitle employees to 12 weeks of paid leave starting on May 1, 2026. The leave covers similar circumstances, but it will be paid, with a 1% premium shared between employers and employees.

Employers with fewer than 15 employees will be exempt from paying the employer portion of the premium but must still collect the employee’s portio

Employees accrue 1 hour of earned paid leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours in a defined year. This applies to all employees in businesses with more than 10 employees, excluding seasonal workers.

Maine law, SP0110, LD 369, mandates earned paid sick leave for employers with more than 5 employees. Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. This leave can be used for:

• Personal illness, medical diagnosis, or preventive care.
• Illness or medical care for family members.
• Reasons related to domestic violence or sexual assault, such as medical care, legal proceedings, or relocation.

Employees can begin using their accrued leave after 90 days of employment. Employers must allow employees to carry over at least 40 hours of unused sick leave into the next year, but are not required to allow the use of more than 40 hours of paid sick leave per year​​.

Maine does not mandate employers to provide paid vacation days. Any vacation benefits are offered at the discretion of the employer.

There is no specific statewide requirement in Maine for bereavement leave. However, many employers provide it voluntarily.

Maine does not mandate paid or unpaid holiday leave. Employers can decide on holiday benefits.

Employees are entitled to take leave for jury duty and cannot be penalized for attending.

Employees may take time off to vote if they do not have sufficient time outside working hours to do so.

Employees who are victims of domestic violence are entitled to take time off work, with or without pay, to attend court proceedings, receive medical treatment, or obtain necessary services related to the violence. This also applies if the employee’s child, parent, or spouse is a victim.

Employees who are members of the military are entitled to leave for military service and must be reinstated upon return.

Cities and municipalities in Maine may set their own minimum wage rates. In 2024, some of the local minimum wage rates are:

• $15.00 in Portland
• $15.00 in Rockland

For certain occupations or types of work, employers in Maine may pay sub-minimum wages. Here are examples:

1. Agricultural Workers are not required to be paid the state minimum wage. This includes those involved in tasks like processing and packing farm products, and they do not receive overtime pay either.
2. Students working for colleges or universities where they are enrolled may qualify for a lower minimum wage, which is set at $7.61 per hour.
3. Seasonal Employees or those working for seasonal employers for less than 60 days per year are exempt from minimum wage requirements.
4. Outside Salespeople: Outside salespeople who meet specific criteria regarding commission-based pay may also be exempt from the minimum wage laws.

Employees exempt from Maine’s minimum wage law include executive, administrative, or professional employees who are paid on a salary basis. As of January 1, 2025, the minimum salary for exempt employees must be at least $1,128 per week.

Maine is an at-will employment state, meaning employers can terminate employees for any reason (except for illegal discrimination) and without notice. Employees can also resign at any time. However, employees cannot be fired for discriminatory reasons, reporting unsafe work conditions, or filing workers’ compensation claims.

Maine does not have a Right-to-Work law. This means that union membership can be a requirement for employment in certain industries, and employees may be required to pay union dues even if they are not union members.

Employers in Maine can conduct background checks and drug testing, but they must comply with federal and state laws regarding privacy and discrimination. Employers must also provide notice to employees about the testing and obtain consent.

Maine law prohibits discrimination in employment based on various factors, including race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, national origin, and familial status. This aligns with federal EEO laws.

Maine has laws that protect employees’ privacy rights. Employers cannot conduct surveillance or monitor employees without their consent in most situations. Employees have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their personal belongings and communications.

Maine’s Equal Pay Law mandates that employers pay men and women equally for comparable work. The law prohibits wage discrimination based on gender or race and requires employers to provide equal pay for equal work.

Employees in Maine have the right to form or join unions. Under 26 M.R.S.A. § 851-856, employers are barred from hiring strikebreakers during employee protests.

According to 26 M.R.S.A. §§ 839, it is illegal for employers to fire or threaten employees after employees report them for gross misconduct or violation of labor laws.