Maine is expected to join 13 other states and Washington, D.C. in implementing a paid family and medical leave program. Maine’s program, which will provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year, covers all eligible employees of private and public employers, except employees of the federal government, in the state regardless of employer size. Employers and employees will split a 1% payroll tax to fund the paid family and medical leave program.

After clearing necessary procedural and financial hurdles this week, Maine is set to enact one of the broadest and most generous paid family and medical leave programs in the country.

L.D. 1964 – “An Act to Create the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program” – provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year to all eligible employees in the private and public sector, except for employees of the federal government, regardless of employer size. The leave is also not limited to the employees’ own conditions or the conditions of legal or biological family members. Rather, the plan permits employees to take leave to care for any individual with whom they have “a significant personal bond that is or is like a family relationship regardless of biological or legal relationship.” Additionally, an employee can take the paid leave immediately after starting employment.

To pay for this new program, the state will impose a 1% payroll tax split evenly between the employer and employee.

During the approved leave period, the program...

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