Compromise paid time off legislation gets bipartisan support in Labor Committee

AUGUSTA—On Wednesday, the Legislature’s Committee on Labor and Housing approved compromise legislation from Sen. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, to institute a statewide earned paid time off policy in a bipartisan vote. The vote was 9-1-1, with one member absent.

As amended, LD 369, “An Act To Support Healthy Workplaces and Healthy Families by Providing Earned Paid Sick Leave to Certain Employees” would require companies with ten employees or more to offer the opportunity for employees to earn paid time off. The amendment also changes the title of the bill to LD 369, “An Act Authorizing Earned Employee Leave.”

“If child care is canceled, parents should be able to stay home to take care of their children without fearing economic consequence. If a worker’s car breaks down on the way to work, they should be able to take it to the shop without fearing that they’d lose the paycheck to pay for the repair. If a worker is sick, they don’t have to choose between visiting the doctor or keeping their job,” said Sen. Millett. “I’m proud of all the work we were able to do get lawmakers on both sides of the aisle on board. This process tells us one thing – when legislators reach across the aisle and work together, we can create good, commonsense policy.”

This proposal provides paid time off to 85 percent of all Maine workers, including 139,000 newly eligible workers.

Ten states have already instituted an earned paid sick time policy, including the neighboring states of  Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont.

LD 369 will now move to the floor of the Senate and House for additional votes.

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