The Maine Labor Law Guide

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate that employers are legally obligated to pay employees. The federal minimum wage is a wage baseline, but different states, cities, and regions can adopt their own rates. 

$15.10 per hour for most employees (Effective Jan 1, 2026)

• Portland: $16.75 per hour (Effective Jan 1, 2026).

• Rockland: $16.00 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees (Effective Jan 1, 2026).

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Tipped minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate employers are legally obligated to pay employees who earn a significant portion of their income through tips. Employers must ensure that the total of an employee’s cash wage and tips is at least $14.65 per hour. 

$7.55 per hour for most tipped employees (Effective Jan 1, 2026)

• Requirement: Employers must ensure that the employee’s tips plus the cash wage of $7.55 equal at least the full minimum wage of $15.10 per hour. If they do not, the employer must pay the difference.

• Portland Tipped Wage: $8.38 per hour (Effective Jan 1, 2026).

• Rockland Tipped Wage: $8.00 per hour (Effective Jan 1, 2026, for employers with 26+ employees).

Maine has its own state overtime law under 26 M.R.S. § 664, which generally mirrors federal overtime standards for hours worked but establishes a higher salary threshold for certain overtime exemptions.

Standard Rule: Employers must pay non-exempt employees one and one-half (1.5×) times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek.

Employers must comply with both state and federal law and apply the rule that is more favorable to the employee.

Rest Breaks: Maine law requires that employees be offered the opportunity to take a rest break of at least 30 consecutive minutes after working 6 consecutive hours.

• Unpaid: This break may be unpaid.

• Exception: This requirement does not apply in cases of emergency or where there is a collective bargaining agreement or written agreement between employee and employer negotiating fewer breaks.

• Small Business: The law applies only if three or more employees are on duty at the same time.

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Earned Paid Leave (Vacation & Sick Combined) Maine’s Earned Paid Leave (EPL) law covers both "vacation" and "sick" needs in a single bank.

• Coverage: Applies to private employers with 10 or more employees.

• Accrual: Employees earn 1 hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year.

• Usage: Leave can be used for any reason (illness, vacation, emergency).

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)

• Status: Contributions began January 1, 2025.

• Benefits Start: Eligible employees may begin applying for and receiving wage replacement benefits on May 1, 2026.

• Coverage: Provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave for family or medical reasons (e.g., bonding with a child, serious health condition).

Holidays Maine does not require private employers to provide paid or unpaid holiday leave.

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Minors Under 14

• Generally prohibited from working in employment. Limited exceptions apply (e.g., agricultural work, entertainment under separate rules).

Minors Age 14–15

• Work Permit Required: Must obtain a minor work permit before beginning employment.

• Hours When School Is in Session: • Up to 3 hours per day and 18 hours per week. • Cannot work during hours when school is in session.

• Hours When School Is Not in Session: • Up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.

• Time of Day: Between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM (extended to 9:00 PM during summer vacation / non‑school periods).

• Consecutive Days: May not work more than 6 consecutive days.

Minors Age 16–17

• Hours When School Is in Session: • Up to 6 hours per school day and 24 hours per week. • Cannot work during hours when school is in session.

• Hours When School Is Not in Session: • Up to 10 hours per day and 50 hours per week.

• Time of Day: • Not before 7:00 AM on school days or 5:00 AM on non‑school days. • Not after 10:15 PM on school nights or Midnight on non‑school nights.

• Consecutive Days: May not work more than 6 consecutive days.

Hiring
Hiring (Anti-Discrimination) The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment based on:

• Race

• Color

• Sex (including pregnancy)

• Sexual Orientation

• Gender Identity (explicitly protected)

• Age

• Physical or Mental Disability

• Genetic Predisposition

• Religion

• Ancestry

• National Origin

• Familial Status

Firing
Firing Maine is an “at-will” employment state. Employers generally have the right to terminate employees for any reason or no reason, provided the termination is not discriminatory, retaliatory (e.g., for whistleblowing or using Earned Paid Leave), or in violation of a specific contract or collective bargaining agreement.