Under Maine overtime laws you earn after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate, and no daily overtime in Maine — only the weekly total counts. The minimum wage is $15.10. This guide gives the exact maine overtime laws rule with the date we verified it, the statute, and what to do next.
Rules verified against Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards or an attorney before you rely on it.
Maine Overtime Laws at a Glance
| Minimum wage | $15.10 |
| Weekly overtime | After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate |
| Daily overtime | No daily overtime in Maine — only the weekly total counts |
| Rate | 1.5 times the regular rate (double time only where the row says so) |
| State overtime statute | Yes |
In This Maine Overtime Laws Guide:
Maine Overtime Laws: The Rules
After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. No daily overtime in Maine — only the weekly total counts. The overtime rate is one and a half times your regular rate of pay — the regular rate includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials, not just the base wage. Maine also caps mandatory overtime at 80 hours in a 2-week period for most workers (26 M.R.S. 603).
How to Calculate Overtime Under Maine Overtime Laws
Take your total pay for the week, divide by the hours you worked to get the regular rate, and multiply the overtime hours by 1.5 times that rate. A worker paid $15.10 an hour who works 48 hours in a 40-hour state is owed 8 hours at time and a half.
Salary does not mean exempt: a salaried worker below the exemption tests still gets overtime on the hours over the threshold.
Maine Overtime Laws at a Glance
Rules verified against Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.
| Minimum wage | $15.10 |
| Weekly overtime | After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate |
| Daily overtime | No daily overtime in Maine — only the weekly total counts |
| Rate | 1.5 times the regular rate (double time only where the row says so) |
| State overtime statute | Yes |
Who Is Exempt From Maine Overtime Laws
In Maine, the main overtime-exempt workers are salaried employees in genuine executive, administrative or professional roles, along with outside salespeople. To be exempt, an executive, administrative or professional employee must pass a duties test and a salary test. Maine’s salary test is tied to a multiple of the state minimum wage, and the higher of the state and federal thresholds generally applies.
A job title alone does not make someone exempt.
Daily Overtime and Maine Overtime Laws
Maine has no daily overtime rule: a 12-hour day in a 36-hour week earns no premium, because only the weekly total counts. Maine has no state law that lets private employers give comp time in place of overtime pay, and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act generally does not allow it in the private sector.
Hourly overtime in a private job is generally owed as cash wages for the week it was worked.
Is Overtime Taxed Differently Under Maine Overtime Laws?
No — overtime is ordinary wages and is taxed at the same income-tax rates as the rest of your pay; it can push more of your pay into a higher withholding bracket on one check, but the annual tax rate does not change. Maine allows employers to count part of a service employee’s tips toward the minimum wage, but tips stay the employee’s property.
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Under the federal rule, overtime for tipped workers is generally figured on the full minimum wage, and the tip credit stays the same in overtime hours. That means the employer’s cash wage has to rise for overtime hours. Confirm how your hours were calculated with the agency.
How to Claim Unpaid Overtime Under Maine Overtime Laws
A Maine worker can report unpaid overtime to the Maine Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Standards (Wage and Hour Division) through its online Wage and Hour Complaint Form, and filing costs the worker nothing. A worker can also file with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, or bring a court action.
Strict time limits apply to how far back a claim can reach, so it is best to file promptly and confirm the look-back period with the agency.
Other Maine Overtime Laws Rules to Know
Maine’s overtime statute lists exemptions that federal law does not have, including employees of hotels, motels, restaurants and other eating establishments. Many of these workers may still be owed overtime under the federal FLSA. Maine also limits how much mandatory overtime an employer can require over a two-week period, and it has separate limits for nurses.
Think you are owed overtime? The wage-claim agency takes the complaint for free.
Contact Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards
Maine — the bottom line
- Maine overtime laws start the premium after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate — count the week, not the day.
- Under maine overtime laws the rate is 1.5 times the regular rate, and the regular rate includes your bonuses and differentials.
- Maine overtime laws are enforced by a free wage claim — you do not need a lawyer to recover unpaid overtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I get overtime under Maine overtime laws?
After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. No daily overtime in Maine — only the weekly total counts.
What is the overtime rate in Maine?
One and a half times your regular rate of pay, which includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift pay.
Does Maine have daily overtime?
No daily overtime in maine — only the weekly total counts.
Can my employer give comp time instead of overtime pay in Maine?
Maine has no state law that lets private employers give comp time in place of overtime pay, and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act generally does not allow it in the private sector.
How do I claim unpaid overtime in Maine?
A Maine worker can report unpaid overtime to the Maine Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Standards (Wage and Hour Division) through its online Wage and Hour Complaint Form, and filing costs the worker nothing. A worker can also file with the U.S.
Official Maine Sources & Resources
- Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards: https://www.maine.gov/labor/labor_laws/
- Maine statute (Maine also caps mandatory overtime at 80 hours in a 2-week period for most workers (26 M.R.S. 603).): https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/26/title26sec664.html
- Verified source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov
This maine overtime laws guide was last verified against official Maine sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Maine Workplace Rights Guides
- Maine Break Laws: Meal and Rest Breaks
- Maine Final Paycheck Law: Deadlines and Penalties
- Maine Labor Laws: Every Rule in One Place
- Maine Unemployment Benefits: How Much and How Long
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Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.