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Maine break, overtime and sick leave rules

Meal and rest breaks, overtime and paid sick leave in Maine, in plain words. Last reviewed October 31, 2026. Not legal advice.

The rules in Maine#

Meal breaks
A 30‑minute meal period after 6 consecutive hours, except in emergencies. Not required where fewer than 3 employees are on duty and the work allows frequent paid breaks, or where a collective bargaining or written agreement provides otherwise.
Rest breaks
No general paid rest break rule for adults.
Overtime
1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. No daily overtime, double time or seventh‑day rule.
Paid sick leave
Yes, as general earned paid leave usable for any reason. Employers with more than 10 employees must let employees earn 1 hour per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year.

How Oh! Thyme handles Maine#

Oh! Thyme runs a company in Maine on the federal rules. On every shift it checks:

  • Overtime after 40 hours in a workweek, worked out week by week
  • Every punch and break, to the minute
  • Sick leave balances build from approved hours at the rate set for each person, such as 1 hour per 30 worked, stop at their cap, and come down when time off is approved.

Not checked in Maine: its meal break rules. The break times are on every timesheet for a supervisor to see; tell us at support@ohthyme.com if your company needs them checked.

Try it with sample data

Sources#

  1. Maine Revised Statutes Title 26, section 637: Earned paid leave
  2. Maine Department of Labor: Earned Paid Leave
  3. US DOL Wage and Hour Division: Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector
  4. US DOL Wage and Hour Division: Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector
  5. US DOL Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws (overtime premium pay notes)
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