Easily manage employment in Maine

Under Maine’s Earned Paid Leave (MEPL) law, nearly all employees are entitled to one hour of paid holiday leave for every 40 hours worked (up to 40 hours per year). Note that Maine is the first US state to enforce paid holiday leave for employees.

In Maine, paid sick leave is covered by MEPL. The Maine Family Medical Leave Requirements Act (MFMLRA) also requires employers to provide up to 10 weeks’ unpaid sick leave every two years. Can an employer deny sick time in Maine? Under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid sick leave per year, provided they: Have worked for the same employer for at least 12 months Work in a location where at least 50 people are employed by the company within a 75-mile radius

Employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity or paternity leave, under both the MFMLRA and the FMLA. Some organisations opt to pay a reduced pay during this period.

Employers are not legally required to provide bereavement leave to their employees, although most organisations offer unpaid leave.

Employees must report for jury duty if summoned (unless exempt). Jurors are typically “on call” for two weeks. Do employers have to pay for jury duty in Maine? No. Private sector employers are not required to pay employees on jury service, but they must provide unpaid leave, and cannot penalise or terminate an employee on jury duty. Some employers provide paid leave.

Under state and federal law, employers must grant unpaid leave to employees who are members of the military or the National Guard for military duty or training. These employees have the right to take time off for their military obligations, and employers are prohibited from discriminating against them based on their military service. Under state law, children, parents, and spouses of military personnel are also entitled to 15 days’ unpaid leave during a deployment, provided they have worked at least 1,250 hours in the last year.