While ten states mandate paid sick leave for workers, Maine will be the first state to require employers to give their employees up to 40 hours of paid leave for use at their discretion.
Gov. Janet Mills says the law is simpler than sick leave laws in other states and better for both workers and employers.
“Without an employer having to dog somebody for documentation, without somebody having to prove they had this or that circumstance,” Mills says.
Only companies with more than 10 employees will have to comply with the new law, which takes effect in 2021.
“We have found a way to provide economic and financial security for the vast majority of Maine workers while also balancing the legitimate needs and concerns of employers,” she says. “That’s an important and significant goal.”
Originally published 3:56 p.m. May 28, 2019
