PFML status
Active PFML program
Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave
2026Active PFML programMaine Paid Leave
$1,199/week · 12 family weeks · 0.5% employee premium· Paid leave for any reason.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Maine paid leave snapshot
Maine PFML with shared premiums and benefits starting May 2026. Weekly-max rank #8 (#1 = highest among all jurisdictions); family-weeks rank #7.
Max weekly
$1,199
Min $0
Family weeks
12
Benefit year
Employee premium
0.5%
Shared employee / employer
Paid sick leave
Paid leave for any reason
Earned paid leave that may be used for any reason (including sick leave)…
Compare Maine with another state
Compare any two states
PFML weekly max, weeks, premiums, and paid sick leave mandates.
Maine PFML program details
- Program
- Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave
- Wage replacement
- 9%
- Medical weeks
- 12
- Combined weeks max
- 12
- Premium payer
- Shared employee / employer
- Benefits timing
- Premiums began 1/1/2025; benefits commence 5/1/2026.
- Wage base / premium note
- Typically capped at the Social Security taxable wage base for the year. Employers with 15+ employees generally share the 1% total premium.
Smaller employers may only remit the employee share. Confirm current ME DOL notices.
Example employee PFML premium
On $80,000 annual wages, a 0.5% employee rate models about $400 per year before wage-base caps and employer-size exemptions. Typically capped at the Social Security taxable wage base for the year. Employers with 15+ employees generally share the 1% total premium.
Key takeaways — Maine paid leave
- Maine PFML status: Active PFML program (Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave).
- Modeled weekly maximum $1,199 with about 12 family/bonding weeks and up to 12 medical weeks.
- Employee premium ~0.5% (~$400/year on $80,000 before wage-base caps).
- Paid leave for any reason. Earned paid leave that may be used for any reason (including sick leave).
- Ranks #8 on weekly max and #7 on family weeks among 51 jurisdictions (#1 = highest).
- Premiums began 1/1/2025; benefits commence 5/1/2026.
- 7 other active PFML programs list a higher weekly maximum than Maine in this table.
Maine vs neighboring states
PFML status, weekly maxima, family weeks, and sick-leave mandates for states that share a border with Maine.
| State | PFML | Max weekly | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | Active PFML program | $1,199 | This page |
 New Hampshire | Voluntary insurance only | — | vs ME |
Maine PFML at the weekly maximum
Illustrative totals if every week paid the modeled maximum. Most claimants receive less; waiting periods and offsets can reduce cash paid.
4 weeks at weekly max
$4,796
$1,199 × 4 wks
8 weeks at weekly max
$9,592
$1,199 × 8 wks
12 weeks at weekly max
$14,388
$1,199 × 12 wks
How to read this page
Maine paid leave overview (2026)
Maine PFML with shared premiums and benefits starting May 2026.
Workers meeting Maine program rules can claim partial wage replacement up to about $1,199 per week for qualifying family leave (roughly 9% replacement before caps). Smaller employers may only remit the employee share. Confirm current ME DOL notices.
Paid sick leave is tracked separately: Earned paid leave that may be used for any reason (including sick leave).
Premiums and benefits in Maine
Modeled payroll shares: employee 0.5%, employer 0.5%. Typically capped at the Social Security taxable wage base for the year. Employers with 15+ employees generally share the 1% total premium.
At the weekly maximum for 12 weeks, a full family-leave claim could approach $14,388 before taxes and offsets—only if you qualify for the maximum for every week.
Job protection is not guaranteed by a cash benefit alone. Confirm whether FMLA, a state family-leave statute, or PFML restoration rules apply to your employer size and tenure.
Planning leave while working in Maine
Map the reason for leave (bonding, family care, own serious health condition, safe leave) to the right program—PFML, disability, sick leave, or unpaid FMLA.
Ask payroll whether PFML premiums already appear on your pay stub and whether the employer uses a private plan.
If you live near a border, compare Maine with New Hampshire—PFML and sick-leave rules can change by work location.
Who this Maine paid leave page helps
Useful if…
- •Employees in Maine estimating bonding or caregiving wage replacement.
- •Managers budgeting backfill while someone is on PFML or sick leave.
- •Candidates weighing a Maine offer against a neighboring state’s leave laws.
- •Workers checking whether a sick-leave mandate applies even without PFML.
Use official tools if…
- •You need an approved claim, private-plan exemption, or exact waiting period.
- •Your hours or employer size fall below statutory thresholds.
- •A city ordinance (not just statewide rules) governs your worksite.
- •You are self-employed and need opt-in PFML rules rather than employee coverage.
Maine paid leave checklist
Quick steps before treating rankings as a claim or relocation decision.
- 1Confirm Maine PFML status (Active PFML program) and benefit start timing.
- 2Estimate weekly pay using ~9% replacement capped at $1,199.
- 3Review sick/any-reason leave accrual: Paid leave for any reason.
- 4Check pay stubs for PFML/SDI-style deductions and annual wage-base caps.
- 5Document FMLA eligibility separately if you need job protection.
- 6Compare Maine with a peer state before relocating for leave benefits alone.
Related states for paid leave
Active PFML program · $1,190/wk · 12 wks
Compare Maine vs District of Columbia →
New YorkActive PFML program · $1,229/wk · 12 wks
Compare Maine vs New York →
MassachusettsActive PFML program · $1,230/wk · 12 wks
Compare Maine vs Massachusetts →
New JerseyActive PFML program · $1,119/wk · 12 wks
Compare Maine vs New Jersey →Maine paid leave FAQs
Active PFML program. Program: Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave. Premiums began 1/1/2025; benefits commence 5/1/2026.
This guide models $1,199/week (minimum $0 where published) at roughly 9% wage replacement before caps.
About 12 family/bonding weeks in a benefit year, with up to 12 medical weeks where the program covers own serious health conditions.
About 0.5% of covered wages ($400/year on a $80,000 example before wage-base caps). Typically capped at the Social Security taxable wage base for the year. Employers with 15+ employees generally share the 1% total premium.
Paid leave for any reason. Earned paid leave that may be used for any reason (including sick leave).
No. FMLA is unpaid. Maine PFML benefits may replace a portion of wages during qualifying leave when you meet program rules.
Weekly-max rank #8 and family-weeks rank #7 in this 51-jurisdiction table (#1 = highest weeks/benefit). Employee-premium rank #10 (#1 = lower employee rate among programs).
Use the state labor/PFML agency for claims, premiums, and notices. This page is an educational comparison using 2026 chart values updated 2026-07-31.
At the modeled weekly maximum, 12 weeks would total about $14,388 before taxes and offsets. Most claimants earn less than the maximum.
Usually only for short absences tied to illness, appointments, or safe leave—not full bonding leave. Earned paid leave that may be used for any reason (including sick leave). Use PFML (where active) or unpaid FMLA for multi-week bonding.
Nearby combined snapshots: New Hampshire (Voluntary insurance only). Open a compare page for side-by-side premiums and weeks.
Often yes under FMLA or state restoration rules if you remain eligible, but you may still owe your share of premiums. PFML cash benefits do not automatically equal benefit continuation—confirm with HR.
Not legal advice. Agency rules control claims, premiums, and job protection.