Maine paid sick leave
Under the Maine Earned Paid Leave, employees accrue 1 hour per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year.
Informational, not legal advice. Checked against Congressional Research Service report R48921 and the state's own labour department. Statutes change every session — confirm against the primary source linked below before setting a policy. Last verified 18 August 2026.
The rule, in detail
| Accrual rate | 1 hour per 40 hours worked |
|---|---|
| Annual accrual cap | 40 hours |
| Annual use cap | 40 hours |
| Carryover | Permitted, capped at 40 hours |
| Frontloading allowed | Yes |
| Waiting period before use | 120 days |
| Employer size threshold | 11+ employees |
| Payout on termination | Not required |
| Effective from | 1 January 2021 |
Notes
Leave may be taken for ANY reason. Applies to employers with more than 10 employees.
Covered reasons
- Any reason
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Try for freeWhat that works out to
“1 hour per 40 hours worked” is the statute's wording. Here is the same rule as an annual number, which is what you actually need in order to budget for it or to check a balance someone is disputing.
A full-time employee · 40 hours a week
40 hours a year
2,080 hours worked ÷ 40 = 52 hours, which the 40-hour annual cap reduces to 40
The annual cap binds here — extra hours worked earn nothing further.
A half-time employee · 20 hours a week
26 hours a year
1,040 hours worked ÷ 40 = 26 hours
A new full-time hire earns their first full eight-hour day of sick leave after roughly 8 weeks of work, though it cannot be used until day 120 of employment — the hours accrue during that window even though they are not yet available.
Frontloading instead of accruing
Maine lets you skip accrual tracking by granting the full entitlement — 40 hours at the start of the year. It is less administration, and it usually costs more: a leaver in March keeps what an accruing employee would never have earned. Frontloading also normally removes the carryover obligation, so the two decisions are linked rather than separate.
How Maine compares
Maine is an outlier on the accrual rate. Most mandate states grant one hour per 30 hours worked; here it is one per 40, which means employees earn more slowly than they would elsewhere. Copying a policy written for another state will produce the wrong balance.
| State | Accrues 1 hour per | Annual cap |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 30 hours | 56 hours |
| Arizona | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| California | 30 hours | 80 hours |
| Colorado | 30 hours | 48 hours |
| Connecticut | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| Maryland | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| Massachusetts | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| Michigan | 30 hours | 72 hours |
| Minnesota | 30 hours | 48 hours |
| Nebraska | 30 hours | 56 hours |
| New Jersey | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| New Mexico | 30 hours | 64 hours |
| New York | 30 hours | 56 hours |
| Oregon | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| Rhode Island | 35 hours | 40 hours |
| District of Columbia | 37 hours | 56 hours |
| Illinois | 40 hours | 40 hours |
| Maine | 40 hours | 40 hours |
| Washington | 40 hours | None |
| Nevada | 52 hours | 40 hours |
| Vermont | 52 hours | 40 hours |
Common questions
How much paid sick leave do employees earn in Maine?
Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Over a full-time year that is about 40 hours; at half time it is about 26 hours.
Is there a cap on how much sick leave can be accrued in Maine?
Yes. Accrual stops at 40 hours in a year. Anyone working more than 1,600 hours in the year reaches that ceiling and earns nothing further until the next accrual period.
Does unused sick leave carry over to the next year in Maine?
Yes. Unused hours roll into the following year, up to 40 hours. Carryover is separate from the annual cap, so a balance can be larger than one year of accrual.
Do employers have to pay out unused sick leave in Maine when someone leaves?
No. Unlike accrued vacation in many states, unused sick leave is generally not payable on separation here. A more generous company policy can still create the obligation, so check what your handbook promises.
When can a new hire start using sick leave in Maine?
Accrual begins on the first day of work, but use can be withheld until day 120 of employment. The distinction matters: hours are being earned during the waiting period even though they cannot yet be taken.
Can we frontload sick leave instead of accruing it in Maine?
Maine lets you skip accrual tracking by granting the full entitlement — 40 hours at the start of the year. It is less administration, and it usually costs more: a leaver in March keeps what an accruing employee would never have earned. Frontloading also normally removes the carryover obligation, so the two decisions are linked rather than separate.
Does Maine sick leave apply to part-time employees?
Accrual is tied to hours worked, not to job title, so part-time employees earn at the same 40-hour rate — they simply reach the total more slowly. Someone working 20 hours a week accrues roughly 26 hours across a year.