Maine Employee Handbook

When your company hires employees in Maine, you are required to comply with federal, state, and local employment laws. There are a variety of human resources and labor policies in the workplace that differ by state. Through your employee handbook, employers can easily document and distribute the correct policies to their employees to comply with the laws of each state.

Creating your Maine Employee Handbook is a useful way to explain important policies and procedures, mitigate legal risk, and introduce employees to the expectations and operating practices of the organization.

Mosey has compiled the relevant policies a company with employees in Maine must consider.

Maine Employee Handbook Policies

There are 12 state and local employee handbook policies in Maine.

Wage and Hour

Maine Meal Break Policy

You are entitled to a 30-minute unpaid meal break during shifts of six or more consecutive hours, free from work duties and able to leave the premises. If you work during the break, it will be paid time. Meal breaks can be waived with a written agreement, which you can revoke at any time. Exceptions apply in emergencies or workplaces with three or fewer employees, where shorter breaks may be allowed.

Maine Lactation Break Policy

You are entitled to reasonable break time to express breast milk for up to three years after childbirth, which can align with existing breaks or meal periods. Your employer will provide a private, secure, and clean space that is not a bathroom. Discrimination or retaliation for exercising this right is strictly prohibited.

Maine Minimum Wage Policy

You are entitled to a minimum wage of $14.65 per hour in 2025. If you are a service employee earning more than $185 per month in tips, you are entitled to a base wage of at least $7.33 per hour, with Employer covering any shortfall to ensure your total earnings meet the minimum wage.

Vacation, Sick, and Safe Leaves

Maine Earned Paid Leave Policy

You are entitled to earn one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked, up to a maximum 40 hours per year. Paid leave may be used after 120 days of employment for any reason.

Leaves of Absence

Maine Military Service Leave Policy

You are entitled to job-protected, unpaid leave for military service if you are a member of the National Guard or reserves. You may choose to use available paid time off during your military leave. Reasonable advance notice should be provided, and certification from the military may be required.

Maine Jury Duty Leave Policy

Employer will provide leave to you to attend jury service. You should provide as much notice as possible and are expected to return to work when jury service is over unless directed to delay the return to work until the next day by your supervisor. Your time spent on jury service is unpaid although you may substitute any available paid leave such as vacation or PTO. Your benefits or job will not be impacted because of jury service.

Maine Domestic Violence Leave Policy

Employer must grant reasonable and necessary leave, with or without pay, for employees to prepare for and attend court proceedings, receive medical treatment for themselves or a victim who is their family member, or obtain services to address a crisis caused by domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Employer cannot penalize employees or withhold pay or benefits for using this leave.

Maine Volunteer Emergency Responder Leave Policy

You are entitled to take job-protected, unpaid leave to serve as a volunteer firefighter, emergency medical service provider, or search and rescue volunteer. You must make an effort to notify Employer before missing work and, upon request, provide a statement from the chief of the volunteer emergency confirming that you responded to the emergency call, including the time of the response.

Maine Family Military Leave Policy

Employer provides employees with up to 15/30 [depending on size of employer] days of job and benefit-protected leave if their family member is ordered to military duty for a period of at least 30 continuous days.

Maine Family and Medical Leave Policy

Employer provides eligible employees with up to 10 weeks of unpaid Family and Medical Leave under Maine’s Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) over a rolling two-year period. Any time taken under Maine FMLA will run concurrently with time taken under Maine’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act or the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which may offer greater benefits in some cases.

To be eligible for leave, there must be at least 15 employees at the employee’s work location, and the employee must have worked for Employer for at least 12 months. Employees must provide at least 30 days’ notice when the need for leave is foreseeable, and as soon as practicable for unforeseeable leaves.

Leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced schedule, except when related to the birth of a child, in which case it is available only if both the employee and Employer agree. An employee on intermittent or reduced schedule leave may be temporarily transferred to a job that better accommodates the leave.

Privacy

Maine Lawful Products Usage Privacy Policy

Employer will not discriminate against you for lawful conduct outside of work so long as you are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the course and scope of your duties, or as required or permitted by law.

Maine Social Media Privacy Policy

Generally, Employer is prohibited from accessing your personal social media accounts and will not discipline or terminate an employee for refusing to disclose their social media login information or for denying to provide access to their social media accounts.

Federal Employee Handbook Policies

Regardless of which states you have employees in, there are required federal policies that must be included in your employee handbook. In addition to any state-specific policies, your employee handbook for Maine should contain the following federal policies.

• Anti-Harassment Policy
• Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy
• Anti-Retaliation Policy
• Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Handbook Policy Best Practices

In addition to the required federal policies, the following policies are best practices to include in your employee handbook.

• Prohibited Conduct Policy
• Violations Reporting Policy
• Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
• Weapons Policy
• Disciplinary Action Policy
• At-Will Employment
• Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Policy