Dept. of Labor Extends Public Comment Period on Earned Paid Leave and Will Still Hold Remote Public Hearing April 15

April 14, 2020

For Immediate Release: April 14, 2020

Dept. of Labor Extends Public Comment Period on Earned Paid Leave and Will Still Hold Remote Public Hearing April 15

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) published rules for the required rulemaking process for Public Law 2019 Ch. 156, "An Act Authorizing Earned Employee Leave" on March 25, 2020. Governor Mills signed this bill into law last year, which will go into effect January 1, 2021.

The public comment period was originally scheduled to remain open until April 27, 2020. Due to the current public health crisis, the Department has extended the public comment period an additional 30 days to May 27, 2020. This extension will balance the need for sufficient time to plan the implementation of earned paid leave with the current disruption in business operations and workers' lives caused by COVID-19.

The draft rules are published at https://www.maine.gov/labor/proposedrulemaking/ . Comments can be submitted electronically through a submission box at that link. Public comments may be sent online, by email to bls.mdol@maine.gov (please note that it is about Earned Paid Leave rules in the subject line), or through written correspondence to Maine Department of Labor, 54 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04330-0054. All submissions require a full name as well as a place of residence. As planned and previously announced, he Maine Department of Labor is holding a remote public hearing on the proposed rules this week:

April 15, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

During the public hearing, anyone interested in speaking will have up to three minutes to share their thoughts on the proposed draft rules. In consideration of recent health concerns, the public hearing will be remote-access only, rather than an in-person meeting. Details on how to participate are available on the Departments website: https://www.maine.gov/labor/proposedrulemaking/ .

The bill, LD369, required the Maine Department of Labor to write rules to ensure the legislation can be implemented and enforced appropriately. The posting of the draft rules is part of MDOLs rulemaking process as well as the required Maine Administrative Procedures Act (MAPA). Once the public comment period ends, MDOL will review and respond to all public comments that were submitted. After the public comment period ends, MDOL will have 120 days to adopt the rules or release a revised set of rules based on public comments.

The rules written will provide guidance to employers as well as workers who benefit from the earned paid time off. The Maine Department of Labor will also provide new posters to employers outlining guidance for the rule on its website.

If you would like to be updated during the process, please email bls.mdol@maine.gov and ask to be placed on the Earned Paid Time Off rules mailing list.

The effective date of this law is January 1, 2021.

A link to the chaptered law (Public Law 2019 Ch. 156) may be found at the link below:

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0110&item=4&snum=129