Title 26, Title 26

1. Wage theft; defined. For the purposes of this section, "wage theft" means a violation of section 621‑A, 622, 623, 626, 629, 629‑A or 664. 2. Injunction. In addition to other remedies allowed by this chapter, the Department of Labor or any person or persons injured by an unlawf…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Employee" has the same meaning as in section 663, subsection 3, but does not include an individual employed in a seasonal industry as defined in s…

Upon a public employee's written request, a public employer may deduct voluntary payroll deductions designated in writing by the employee to the employer for disability insurance and life insurance offered in conjunction with the employee's membership in an employee organization …

This subchapter must be liberally construed in light of the purposes of the law to ensure a safe working environment and safe transportation for forestry workers and migrant and seasonal farm workers and to prevent unfair competition in the marketplace by businesses whose practic…

As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2003, c. 616, §1 (NEW).] 1. Bureau. "Bureau" means the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards. 2. Code of Federal Regulations. "Code of Federal Regulat…

1. Requirement. An employer shall provide safe transportation for workers between the workers' lodgings and work sites each day at no cost to the workers. A. A vehicle used to transport workers must meet the standards set forth in 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 500.105, …

An employer must comply with the standards for first aid set forth in 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1910.151 (2008).

Each farm labor contractor employing migrant and seasonal farm workers shall file a copy of its federal registration under the federal Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act with the bureau. The filing must include in-state contact information for the farm labor …

An employer or other person may not intimidate, threaten, restrain, coerce, blacklist, discharge, fail to recruit, fail to rehire or in any manner discriminate or retaliate against a worker because the worker has: [PL 2009, c. 201, §6 (AMD).] 1. Proceedings. Made, filed, institut…

Any agreement by a worker purporting to waive or modify any of the worker's rights under this subchapter is void as contrary to public policy.

1. Joint and several liability. If more than one person or entity is an employer of the same worker or group of workers, each such person or entity is jointly and severally liable for all violations of this subchapter. 2. Enforcement by bureau. The bureau may inspect vehicles sub…

As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2025, c. 232, §1 (NEW).] 1. Employ. "Employ" means to suffer or permit to work. 2. Employee. "Employee" means an individual employed to perform agricultural la…

An employer may not employ an employee at a rate less than the rates required by this section. [PL 2025, c. 232, §1 (NEW).] Beginning January 1, 2026, the minimum hourly wage for an employee is $14.65 per hour, increased by the increase, if any, in the cost of living, measured by…

An employer subject to this subchapter shall keep a true and accurate record of the hours worked by each employee and of the wages paid, such records to be preserved by the employer for a period of at least 3 years, and shall furnish to each employee with each payment of wages a …

An employer is liable to an employee for the amount of any unpaid minimum hourly wages under this subchapter. Upon a judgment being rendered in favor of an employee in any action brought to recover unpaid minimum hourly wages under this subchapter, the judgment must include, in a…

An employer may not be exempted from this subchapter by special contract with an employee or by any other means.

It is the declared public policy of the State of Maine that workers employed in any occupation should receive wages sufficient to provide adequate maintenance and to protect their health, and to be fairly commensurate with the value of the services rendered.

Terms used in this subchapter shall be construed as follows, unless a different meaning is clearly apparent from the language or context: 1. Director. "Director," the Director of the Bureau of Labor Standards; 2. Employ. "Employ," to suffer or permit to work; 3. Employee. "Employ…

Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, an employer may not employ any employee at a rate less than the rates required by this section. [PL 1995, c. 305, §1 (RPR).] 1. Minimum wage. The minimum hourly wage is $7.50 per hour. Starting January 1, 2017, the minimum hourly w…

1. Examination of records, books; copies. Every employer subject to this subchapter shall keep a true and accurate record of the hours worked by each employee and of the wages paid, such records to be preserved by the employer for a period of at least 3 years, and shall furnish t…

The director may not issue to an employer for a person with a disability a special certificate authorizing the employer to pay that person a wage less than the minimum wage, based on the ability of the person to perform the duties required for that employment in comparison to the…

Any employer shall be liable to the employee or employees for the amount of unpaid minimum wages. Upon a judgment being rendered in favor of any employee or employees, in any action brought to recover unpaid wages under this subchapter, such judgment shall include, in addition to…

Notwithstanding section 670, in an action brought to recover unpaid overtime wages for an employee of the executive or judicial branch of the State, the judgment or award is limited to the unpaid overtime compensation adjudged to be due, without liquidated damages or attorney's f…

Any employer who violates this subchapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $200. Any employer, who discharges or in any other manner discriminates against any employee because such employee makes a complaint to the director …

An employer may not by a special contract with an employee or by any other means be exempted from this subchapter.

1. Annual report. The Department of Labor shall provide a written report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters no later than February 15th of each year. The report must include the following specific information regarding compla…

1. Department of Labor to educate businesses on overtime laws. The Department of Labor shall conduct a comprehensive educational campaign to ensure that the State’s business and nonprofit communities fully understand overtime laws that regulate employees in the State. The compreh…

1. Purpose. This subchapter is intended to: A. Protect the privacy rights of individual employees in the State from undue invasion by employers through the use of substance use tests while allowing the use of tests when the employer has a compelling reason to administer a test; […

As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 1989, c. 536, §§1, 2 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 604, §§2, 3 (AFF).] 1. Applicant. "Applicant" means any person seeking employment from an employer. "Applicant" include…

An employer may not require, request or suggest that any employee or applicant submit to a substance use test except in compliance with this section. All actions taken under a substance use testing program must comply with this subchapter, rules adopted under this subchapter and …

1. Testing of applicants. An employer may require, request or suggest that an applicant submit to a substance use test only if: A. The applicant has been offered employment with the employer; or [PL 1989, c. 536, §§1, 2 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 604, §§2, 3 (AFF).] B. The applicant has …

Action taken by an employer on the basis of a substance use test is limited as provided in this section. [PL 2017, c. 407, Pt. A, §109 (AMD).] 1. Before receipt of test results. An employer may suspend an employee with full pay and benefits or may transfer the employee to another…

1. Review required. The Department of Labor shall review each written policy or change to an approved policy submitted to the department by an employer under section 683, subsection 2. A. The department shall determine if the employer's written policy or change complies with this…

1. Department of Health and Human Services. The Department of Health and Human Services shall adopt rules under the Maine Administrative Procedure Act as provided in this subchapter. 2. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor shall adopt rules under the Maine Administrative …

All employers shall cooperate fully with the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Public Safety and any other state agency in programs designed to educate employees about the dangers of substance use and about public and private serv…

This section governs the enforcement of this subchapter. [PL 1989, c. 536, §§1, 2 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 604, §§2, 3 (AFF).] 1. Remedies. Any employer who violates this subchapter is liable to any employee subjected to discipline or discharge based on that violation for: A. An amount…

The Department of Labor shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters on March 1, 1990, and annually on that date thereafter. This report shall: [PL 1989, c. 536, §§1, 2 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 604, §§2, 3 (AFF).] 1. List of emp…

A minor under 14 years of age may not be employed, permitted or suffered to work in nonagricultural or agricultural employment, except for agricultural employment in the planting, cultivating or harvesting of field crops or other agricultural employment not in direct contact with…

1. Prohibition against certain employment. A minor under 18 years of age may not be employed in any capacity that the director determines to be hazardous, dangerous to life or limbs or injurious to the minor's health or morals. 2. Rules; list of employment and occupations. The di…

1. Minors under 16 years of age. A minor under 16 years of age may not be employed, permitted or suffered to work in, about or in connection with any manufacturing or mechanical establishment, hotel, rooming house, laundry, except a laundry commonly known as an automatic laundry,…

1. Minors 16 and 17 years of age. A minor 16 years of age or older and under 18 years of age, enrolled in school, may not be employed as follows: A. More than 50 hours in any week when the minor's school is not in session; [PL 2003, c. 53, §1 (AMD).] B. More than 24 hours in any …

1. Work permit authority. A minor under 16 years of age may not be employed without a work permit signed by the superintendent of schools of the school administrative unit in which the minor resides and issued to the minor by the bureau. The superintendent may designate a school …

The blank work permit required by section 775 must be formulated by the director and furnished by appropriate means by the director to the persons authorized to sign work permits. The forms of the permits must be approved by the Office of the Attorney General. Permit forms may be…

Any record of age, as provided under section 775 to determine whether or not a work permit may be issued to any child, shall be received as evidence of the age of such child in any prosecution under this subchapter.

A work permit in regular form signed by a duly authorized officer, for all minors under 16 years of age, is conclusive evidence of age and educational attainment, in behalf of the employer of any minor, upon any prosecution for violation of the law relating to the employment of m…

1. Strict liability. An employer who employs, permits or suffers any minor to be employed or to work in violation of this article or Title 20‑A, section 5054 is subject to the following forfeiture or civil penalty, payable to the State and recoverable in a civil action: A. For th…