Maine’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program (PFML) provides up to 12 weeks of paid time off to employees who have a new child, a serious health condition, or another qualifying reason. Employers have been required to pay into the PFML program since January 1, 2025, and employees can receive leave benefits as of May 1, 2026.
But what are the eligibility requirements, who pays for PFML benefits, and what else do employers have to do to comply with Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave law?
Here’s what Maine employers need to know about Maine PFML and how it intersects with other laws like the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
The Paid Family and Medical Leave program in Maine is a new law that provides eligible employees with paid time off for certain qualifying reasons (e.g., parental leave and medical leave). Although it passed in 2023, it began taking effect in 2025 and 2026.
Maine’s PFML program is similar to other state-paid family leave programs in that it covers the following common scenarios:
Maine PFML is funded through payroll contributions from employers and employees, and provides partial wage replacement for up to 12 weeks. Maine PFML is administered by the Maine Department of Labor, which has contracted Aflac to manage benefits administration and claims processing. Employers are responsible for submitting wage reports.
Maine’s paid leave program isn’t the only leave law that applies to covered employees; the federal government has its own leave laws that coexist with state plans. Although there’s some overlap with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), there are some key differences between paid family leave and FMLA in Maine:
When an employee makes a leave request, human resources teams need to be ready to assess eligibility for both laws. Depending on the circumstances, PFML and FMLA may apply concurrently. Employees may also qualify for Maine PFML even when they are not eligible for federal FMLA, so HR teams should assess each request under all applicable leave laws.
A leave management platform like Pulpstream can help you ensure compliance with any leave laws that apply.
Maine PFML generally covers Maine employees who earn wages in Maine. They can only receive benefits if they’ve earned more than six times the state average weekly wage (SAWW) during their base period. In 2025, the SAWW in Maine was $1,198.84.
Employers with at least one Maine employee must comply with PFML, but they may choose to offer a private plan instead of the state plan, provided it meets certain criteria. PFML doesn’t cover self-employed individuals, but they can opt in.
How do you determine which employees are covered by Maine PFML, especially if you have a remote work policy with employees in multiple states? Here are the four criteria the Maine DOL uses to determine place of employment, in order of importance:
Maine PFML doesn’t cover employees who don’t meet any of the criteria, but they may still be covered by FMLA or by laws in other states.
Maine PFML is funded by employer and employee contributions, with the contribution rate determined by each employee’s wages and the employer's size:
Employers are required to calculate the contribution amount and submit it through the Maine Paid Leave Portal. When an employee submits a claim under PFML, there’s a 7-day waiting period per benefit year (starting on the first day of leave), but only when taking leave for medical reasons.
The weekly benefit amount is calculated and administered by Aflac, so even though the employee is on paid leave, the employer doesn’t pay the PFML wage replacement directly. However, employers must continue to provide and contribute to employment-related health insurance benefits during PFML leave under the same conditions as if the employee had continued working.
While Maine’s PFML program streamlines some aspects of paid leave, it also introduces new obligations for employers, with penalties for non-compliance. Follow these steps to keep up with the latest leave laws and ensure PFML compliance:
Under Maine PFML, employers are required to maintain an account on the Maine Paid Leave portal and submit wage reports quarterly. Failing to make payments could result in a fine of 1% of your quarterly payroll. Even if none of your employees ever makes a paid leave claim, you’re still responsible for these contributions.
Automated leave management systems can take the hassle out of PFML compliance by running each case through a multi-state eligibility checker. Use a tool like Pulpstream to see exactly which leave laws apply to each employee, based on length of employment, state of residence, base of operations, and any other contributing factors.
Employers aren’t the only ones with questions about Maine’s new PFML program. Get ahead of the game by addressing employee concerns and providing instant responses to their questions. Pulpstream’s self-service portal and automatic notifications help you keep employees informed and guide them through the leave of absence process.
Employees can take up to 12 weeks of paid leave per benefit year under Maine PFML. But they may have overlapping protections or obligations under FMLA or other leave laws, and they may need to take leave in multiple blocks or in smaller increments. Use a leave of absence tracker to track leave accurately and avoid miscalculating an employee’s leave balance.
Maine’s PFML law is a big change, and you may need to update your company's leave policies to reflect it. Ensure that your own paid time off (PTO) and sick leave policies don’t conflict with PFML, and consider providing leave for additional scenarios, like personal leave or a sabbatical, that PFML doesn’t cover.
Maine’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act introduces new requirements for employers, including wage reports and payroll contributions. Employers began making contributions in 2025, and employees can begin requesting leave as of May 1, 2026. Maine PFML generally applies to employers with at least one employee working in Maine, though some limited exceptions may apply.
Complying with state-paid leave programs can be complicated, but automated leave management can help simplify the process. Pulpstream’s cloud-based platform streamlines the leave of absence process, automatically calculating eligibility and ensuring compliance with FMLA, Maine PFML, and more. Request a demo today to see how it works!