This bill requires Maine employers with 10 or more employees to include a pay range in all job postings (e.g., "salary range: $50,000-$70,000"). It also mandates that employers disclose the pay range for an employee’s current position upon request and maintain detailed pay history records for each employee during employment and for three years after termination. The law directly affects businesses meeting the 10-employee threshold and aims to increase transparency around compensation. Key provisions include standardized pay range disclosures in recruitment materials and mandatory internal record-keeping for wage history.
This bill expands Maine's 1998 Special Retirement Plan to include specific mental health workers. It adds two new categories of employees: (1) those providing direct care to people needing mental health services in community or residential settings, and (2) those offering crisis outreach services to adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities. The change applies to Department of Health and Human Services employees hired on or after October 1, 2025, who meet these role definitions. These workers will now qualify for the same retirement benefits as existing categories under the 1998 plan, including options for service-based retirement at age 55 with 10 years of service or 25 years total service.
This bill requires health insurance plans in Maine to cover blood testing for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) when a healthcare provider deems it medically necessary based on guidelines from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It prohibits insurers from charging deductibles, copays, or coinsurance for these tests. The requirement applies to all health insurance plans issued or renewed in Maine on or after January 1, 2026. The bill states this coverage does not expand the state's essential health benefits under federal law, as it aligns with existing coverage for outpatient lab services.
This bill updates Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program by requiring employers with self-insured private plans to post a financial bond with a state-authorized surety company. It also prohibits these employers from pooling risk, financial resources, or administrative functions with other employers in the program. The changes apply retroactively to April 1, 2025, affecting any self-insured plans operating under the program from that date forward.
This bill amends Maine law to remove a requirement that state rules for agricultural labor housing standards must match federal regulations. It directly affects agricultural employers in Maine who provide housing to more than five employees and whose housing standards are not already covered by federal rules. The change allows the state Department of Labor to establish its own housing standards instead of being required to copy federal ones. This applies only to housing facilities owned or controlled by employers, not to all agricultural workers. The bill simplifies the regulatory framework by giving the state more flexibility in setting housing requirements for farm workers.
LD 1865 establishes a Maine state pilot project to incentivize businesses with at least 15 employees to adopt a 4-day workweek. The program, administered by the Department of Labor, offers a tax credit to qualifying employers who maintain employee pay, benefits, and employment status while reducing weekly work hours. Participating businesses must submit detailed transition plans, and the pilot will run for 2-4 years starting January 2027. The Department will select diverse participants (including minority- and women-owned businesses) and study the impacts on both workers and employers through data collection and surveys. Public sector employers may join the pilot but are ineligible for the tax credit.
LD 1587 establishes criminal penalties for employers who intentionally violate Maine's labor laws, such as wage and hour requirements, affecting businesses operating in the state. It classifies these violations as a Class E crime, imposing fines up to $10,000 (with no jail time for first-time offenders) and requiring the Labor Director to investigate and refer cases to the Attorney General for prosecution. The Attorney General must respond within 30 days of receiving a referral and explain any decision to decline prosecution. The bill also mandates that the Department of Labor include detailed data on these referrals, fines collected, and reasons for declined prosecutions in its annual report.
Maine's LD 61 requires employers to notify employees before monitoring them using electronic devices (like computers or phones), with specific exceptions for security cameras and vehicle GPS tracking. It prohibits employers from using audiovisual monitoring in employees' homes, personal vehicles, or on their property, and allows workers to refuse installing monitoring apps on their personal devices. Employers must also disclose surveillance practices during job interviews. The law creates a private right for workers to seek legal remedies if violated and directs the Department of Labor to create implementing rules.
This bill requires Maine public schools to provide at least four hours of de-escalation and behavior intervention training to all teachers, administrators, and education technicians starting in the 2026-2027 school year, with training repeated every three years thereafter. New staff must receive this training within 60 days of hiring beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. The training covers specific topics like positive behavior strategies, communication of student behavior, alternatives to restrictive procedures, and safe use of restraint and seclusion. The Maine Department of Education will maintain a list of approved training programs and experts, and must develop and distribute best practices for the training by September 1, 2026.
LD 1462 protects Maine artisans and performers who sell creative work by prohibiting municipalities from banning the vending of "expressive matter" (defined as art, books, photography, or performances with creative content, excluding purely commercial transactions). It allows local governments to impose limited time, place, and manner restrictions - such as for public safety, park preservation, or ADA compliance - but only if those restrictions are narrowly tailored and necessary. The bill directly affects vendors of creative goods and performances by ensuring they cannot be outright barred from selling in public spaces. This law clarifies existing rights for creative vendors and prevents broad municipal bans while permitting reasonable, health/safety-focused limitations.
