Maine Employment Law Changes Fall 2025 - HR ALERTS

Maine Employment Law Changes Fall 2025

Effective: September 24, 2025

Several important employment law changes will take effect in Maine on September 24, 2025. Below are key updates that employers should be aware of:

Broader Discrimination Protections for Domestic Violence Orders

The Maine Human Rights Act now expands protections for individuals who have received an order of protection. Employers may not discriminate against anyone who has an order of protection issued under:

• Current or former Maine domestic violence laws, or

• A substantially similar law from another state or country.

Reference: Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4572  

Clarified Intermittent Leave Rules Under Paid Family & Medical Leave

Maine’s paid family and medical leave law has been clarified to:

• Prohibit taking intermittent leave in increments of less than one workday (changed from “one day”).

• Remove the term “reduced leave schedule,” but still allow shorter increments (minimum one hour) if both employee and employer agree.

• Remove a provision that said taking leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule could not reduce the total leave entitlement.

Reference: 2025 ME S.B. 383  

Maine Amends Earned Paid Leave Law Regarding Accrual Cap and Carryover

Effective September 24, 2025, Maine has amended its Earned Paid Leave Law to:

• Allow employees to carry over accrued, unused leave into the following year.

• Clarify that carried-over leave will not reduce the total amount of leave employees are entitled to earn in the following year (up to 40 hours or the accrual limit specified in the employer's paid leave policy, whichever is higher).

  
  

  Previously, carryover provisions were addressed only in the law's implementing rules, limiting employees to a total of 40 hours of accrued and carried-over leave.

Reference: 2025 ME L.D. 55 

Maine Requires Show-Up Time / Reporting Time Pay

Effective September 24, 2025, Maine employers must provide show-up time or reporting time pay when employees are asked to report to work but then have their scheduled shifts canceled or reduced.

Reference: 2025 ME HP 19 - LD 55 

These changes mark important updates to Maine's employment laws that affect domestic violence protections, paid leave, and show-up time pay. Employers should review their policies and practices to ensure compliance by September 24, 2025.

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Get day-to-day updates on Maine Employment Law Changes Fall 2025 visit the Vida HR Knowledge Center (Vida HR Clients Exclusive).