Maine Wages

The minimum wage in the State of Maine is $6.35 per hour. It will be increased to $6.50 on October 1, 2005. The following rules regarding wages apply:

• Maine does not have a training wage or student wage below the minimum.
• Tipped employees must be paid at least one-half minimum wage. If this rate plus tips for the week does not average the minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference.
• Employees get overtime pay of 1% times their hourly rate after 40 hours of work per week. This applies to most employees. A poster stating these rules must be shown in the workplace.
• Executive, administrative or professional employees are exempt from minimum wage and overtime. They must be paid a minimum weekly salary of $366.35 ($375.00 starting October 1, 2005). Federal laws may be different.
• Employers must pay wages to employees on an established day or date at regular intervals not to exceed 16 days.
• Employees must be paid for the work performed. Employees who leave a job must be paid in full within a reasonable time.
• Employers cannot deduct from an employee's pay for things such as broken merchandise or bills not paid by customers.
• Employees of businesses that close can receive up to two (2) weeks pay through the Maine Wage Assurance Fund if the business does not have the money to pay the wages.
• Employers may not discriminate on the basis of gender by paying a rate less than the rate paid an employee of the opposite sex for comparable work.
• Most of the wage laws do not apply to agriculture.
• An employer who violates employment laws may have to pay penalties, additional wages and lawyers' fees.