labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Now that Mother’s Day is over and Father’s Day is rapidly approaching, it’s worthwhile to consider the Maine FMLA law. Employees never know when a personal event will cause them to miss time at work. Perhaps they get sick, or a child is adopted, or maybe a close family member falls ill. The Maine Family and Medical Leave Act, also known as FMLA, can help.

The Maine FMLA is very important, and a poster explaining how it works should be on display in every workplace throughout the state. On this poster, employees can find information about the program basics. Included on the poster is information about the benefits provided by this program and how employees can determine if they are eligible.

If an employer has 50 or more workers, then the company has to comply with regulations regarding FMLA. Public employees and school teachers are the exception to this requirement in as much as they are covered even if their employer has fewer than 50 workers.

The Maine FMLA law allows employees to take some time off while protecting their jobs. The way the law works is that once a year, employees can take off up to 12 weeks without pay and not lose their jobs. Restrictions apply, of course, but allowed situations include a serious illness experienced by either the employee or a close family member, the arrival of a child either through birth or adoption, and placement of a foster child.

When employees take leaves under the Maine FMLA, they need to make certain they understand all of the conditions. All written instructions need to be followed, and employees need to stay in touch with their employers.

Although some states don’t follow the federal FMLA program and instead have their own programs, Maine follows the federal program. The states that have their own programs have similar standards to the federal program.