Maine Sick Leave Law: Accrual, Caps and Who Is Covered — Best Proven Guide (2026)

The Maine sick leave law gives you 1 hour for every 40 hours worked (paid leave for any reason), capped at 40 hours of use and 80 hours of accrual a year, for employers of 11 or more. This guide gives the exact maine sick leave law 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 Sick Leave Law: The Rule

1 hour for every 40 hours worked (paid leave for any reason). 40 hours of use and 80 hours of accrual a year. Covered: employers of 11 or more. The statute is 26 M.R.S. 637 (Earned Paid Leave), in effect since January 1, 2021; amended 2025.

What Maine Sick Leave Law Lets You Use Leave For

Maine’s Earned Paid Leave law lets most workers use their accrued leave for any reason, including their own illness, an emergency, a sudden necessity or a planned vacation. Under a separate law, an employer that offers paid leave must let employees use it to care for an ill immediate family member. Confirm with the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) how this applies to your job.

Maine Sick Leave Law 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.

Accrual, Caps and Carryover Under Maine Sick Leave Law

1 hour for every 40 hours worked (paid leave for any reason); 40 hours of use and 80 hours of accrual a year. Except in an emergency, illness or other sudden need, the state generally requires reasonable advance notice, and employers may set this in a written policy and schedule leave to avoid undue hardship.

For an emergency or illness, workers must give notice as soon as practicable, and neither the statute nor the MDOL rules list a documentation requirement.

Paid or Unpaid Under Maine Sick Leave Law

The leave is paid at your regular rate for the covered employers above; smaller employers in some states must give the time unpaid.

Maine Sick Leave Law and Retaliation

MDOL rules state that an employer may not deny an employee the use of paid leave the employee has available, and each wrongful denial counts as a separate violation. MDOL guidance says employers generally cannot discipline workers for using the leave, unless they go over their balance or don’t follow notice rules.

Local Rules and Maine Sick Leave Law

NONE. The statute bars any city, town or other political subdivision from passing its own ordinance on earned paid leave.

Other Maine Sick Leave Law Rules to Know

The Maine law covers all types of leave, not just sick time. Employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement in effect on the law’s start date are exempt until that agreement expires. Employers in seasonal industries, as determined by the state, are excluded, and employers may require a waiting period before new hires can use leave.

Employers do not have to pay out unused leave when a job ends unless their own policy, such as a vacation policy, says so.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is paid sick leave required in Maine?

Yes. 1 hour for every 40 hours worked (paid leave for any reason).

How much sick leave do I get under Maine sick leave law?

40 hours of use and 80 hours of accrual a year.

Which employers are covered by the Maine sick leave law?

Employers of 11 or more.

Can I be fired for using sick leave in Maine?

MDOL rules state that an employer may not deny an employee the use of paid leave the employee has available, and each wrongful denial counts as a separate violation.

When did the Maine sick leave law take effect?

January 1, 2021; amended 2025.

Official Maine Sources & Resources

• Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards: https://www.maine.gov/labor/labor_laws/
• Maine statute (26 M.R.S. 637 (Earned Paid Leave)): https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/26/title26sec637-2.html
• Verified source: https://marketingpreview.mercer.com/content/dam/mercer-dotcom/migrated-assets/blogs/law-and-policy/2025/07/pdf-2025-roundup-state-accrued-paid-leave-mandates.pdf
• Verified source: https://www.ep.com/legal-and-compliance/sick-and-paid-leave-laws-update/
• Verified source: https://www.hubinternational.com/en-us/hub-resources/absence-management-bulletins/2025/11/2025-2026-state-leave-law-updates/
• Verified source: https://www.postercompliance.com/blog/paid-sick-leave-laws-by-state/
• U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov

This maine sick leave law 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 PTO Laws: Is Unused Vacation Paid Out?
• Maine Break Laws: Meal and Rest Breaks
• Maine Labor Laws: Every Rule in One Place
• Maine Unemployment Eligibility: Who Qualifies
• Unemployment and Workplace Rights Guides for All 50 States

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.