Maine Department of Labor Launches Statewide Education Initiative Ahead of 2025 Rollout of New Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

September 30, 2024

For Immediate Release: September 30, 2024

Maine Department of Labor Launches Statewide Education Initiative Ahead of 2025 Rollout of New Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

Partners with Four Statewide Organizations for Comprehensive Webinar Series to Equip Workers, Employers, and Self-Employed Individuals with Essential Knowledge

MAINE - With contributions to Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program - https://www.maine.gov/paidleave/ set to begin on January 1, 2025, the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) today launched a multi-channel education campaign It's How We Care. It's Who We Are designed to provide guidance and support to Maine's 680,000 workers, approximately 40,000 small employers, and self-employed individuals across the state about the new law. To kick off the campaign, MDOL has partnered with four statewide organizations, the Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition, the Maine Paid Leave Coalition, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, to host a series of informational webinars in October.

"This new law will provide critical support for Maine workers during some of life's most challenging moments. It's essential that both workers and employers are fully informed and prepared as we implement the Paid Family and Medical Leave program," said Laura Fortman, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor. "By ensuring everyone understands the timing, benefits and responsibilities of the law, we can make the transition smoother for all, creating a stronger, more resilient workforce and economy for our state. We encourage workers, employers, and self-employed individuals to participate in the upcoming webinars to stay informed and ask questions about the program's implementation."

Webinar Series

Two webinars are tailored specifically for workers and will focus on topics including eligibility requirements, job protections, premium amounts and timing, and the timing and portability of benefits. Participants will be provided a brief overview of the new law, followed by a Q&A session to address attendee questions. The remaining two webinars will focus on employer-related themes including an overview of the law's provisions, information on premium amounts, timing of benefits, wage reporting, and how to use the new online portal launching this winter for remitting payments. The session will conclude with a Q&A to address attendee questions.

Worker-Focused Webinars

Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave and Maine Paid Leave Coalition Webinar

Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave and Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition Webinar

Employer-Focused Webinars

Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave and National Federation of Independent Business in Maine (NFIB) Webinar

Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave and Maine State Chamber of Commerce Webinar

"Our mission has been to make sure that every Mainer has access to a paid leave system that works for all," said Destie Hohman Sprague, Executive Director, Maine Womens Lobby and convener of the Paid Leave Coalition. "Working alongside state government, we were able to bring this vision to life, and look forward to helping the Maine Department of Labor provide workers with the information they need to understand their rights under the new law."

"At the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, we are committed to ensuring that all business owners have the resources they need to navigate changes in laws and regulations," said Patrick Woodcock, President and CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. "The introduction of the Paid Family and Medical Leave program brings significant changes for employers, and partnering with the Maine Department of Labor to deliver this educational series is critical in helping them prepare. By providing clear guidance and answering key questions, we're ensuring Maine's businesses stay informed and compliant, allowing them to continue supporting their employees while managing their operations effectively."

"It is vital that employers with at least one employee become familiar with key dates, responsibilities, and rights under this very impactful law," said David Clough, NFIB/Maine State Director. "NFIB is pleased to partner with Maine Paid Leave officials to present this important webinar that begins an education process for thousands of affected small employers."

"The Paid Family and Medical Leave program will undoubtedly advance cultural practices of communal living and intergenerational care for our immigrant families in Maine," said Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director of Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition. "MIRC is proud to have supported the passage of this law."

Paid Family and Medical Leave at a Glance

Paid Family and Medical Leave became effective in October 2023, in accordance with Maine law. The Maine Department of Labor is responsible for the implementation of this new program. Maine is the 13th state to guarantee its citizens paid family and medical leave.

Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave offers eligible workers in the state the ability to take up to 12 weeks of paid time off in a benefit year for medical, family, or safe leave or leave related to a family members pending military deployment. Starting January 1, 2025, both employers and employees will begin contributing 1% of wages through payroll contributions to fund the program. Workers and employers will split the 1% premium equally (0.5% worker, 0.5% employer) for businesses with 15 or more employees. For businesses with 15 or fewer employees, the total premium will be 0.5%. Employers may voluntarily pay this on the employees behalf or deduct it from an employees paycheck. In addition to supporting workers, this program is designed to stabilize and increase workforce participation. Benefits are scheduled to go live on May 1, 2026.

NOTE: The public comment period on the revised version of the rules - https://www.maine.gov/labor/rulemaking/ will conclude today at 5:00 PM. After the public comment period ends, the Department will review and consider all comments submitted by the public, with the goal of adopting the final rule by January 1, 2025.

"The new law is something to celebrate. It's about providing financial security during some of life's most challenging moments. It will provide great support for all of us whose work keeps Maine working. It's not just a law; it's how we care and who we are as a state," noted Commissioner Fortman.

Comprehensive Outreach Plan to Educate Maines Workforce

In addition to the webinar series, The Maine Department of Labor will launch radio, digital and social media advertising in early October to raise awareness for the new law ahead of the rollout starting January 1, 2025. The campaign will expand to television advertising and streaming television advertising in January 2025 to continue educating workers and employers. MDOL is creating social media content and short explainer videos to help break down the law so that it's easy to understand. All materials will be available on the MDOL Paid Family and Medical Leave website - https://www.maine.gov/paidleave/ .

To get the most up-to-date information and access to resources, individuals and businesses are encouraged to sign up for MDOL's Paid Family and Medical Leave Get Notified List at https://www.maine.gov/paidleave .