Senate unanimously enacts Millett’s first-in-the-nation statewide earned paid time off policy

AUGUSTA— The Maine Senate unanimously voted to enact legislation from Sen. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, that would create a statewide earned paid time off policy. As amended, LD 369, “An Act Authorizing Earned Employee Leave” would require companies with 10 employees or more to offer earned paid time off.

“Mainers work hard. They’ve earned the right to paid time off,” said Sen. Millett. “Under this new policy, more Mainers can take time off if their child gets sick or they need to deal with an emergency, without losing their paycheck. I’m proud of all the work that went into this bill and grateful that we were able to find common ground.”

This proposal provides paid time off to 85 percent of all Maine workers while exempting more than 40,000 of Maine’s 50,792 businesses.

According to National Council of State Legislatures, 10 states have paid sick laws. Maine’s bill would allow for the use of paid time off for other emergencies.

LD 369 received strong bipartisan support in the Legislature’s Labor and Housing Committee. It will now to the governor’s office, where she has 10 days sign it, veto it or allow it become law without her signature.