Maine Releases 2019 Minimum Wage Notice

On January 1, 2019, employers in Maine—the only state with a one-syllable name—must pay their employees an increased minimum wage rate. Our Maine poster featuring the new 2019 Minimum Wage notice will soon be shipped out to customers in The Pine Tree State.

2019 Minimum Wage Requirements

Minimum Wage Increase

All public and private businesses in Maine with one or more employees must pay a minimum wage rate of $11.00 per hour effective January 1, 2019.

Tipped Wage Increase

The direct wage rate for service employees—those who regularly receive more than $30.00 per month in tips—is $5.50 per hour. Employers must make up the difference if an employee’s direct wage plus tips do not average, on a weekly basis, the required 2019 minimum wage of $11.00.

Overtime & Exemptions

Employees who are not exempt from the minimum wage must receive overtime pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek, calculated at not less than time and one-half their normal rates of pay.

One factor used to determine whether workers in Maine are exempt from overtime is salary. Under Maine law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the new minimum salary threshold for exempt employees in 2019 is $634.62 per week.

Employer Responsibilities

Maine’s Minimum Wage notice still features these additional provisions of the law that employers are required to follow:

  • Each pay period, employers must give employees a statement showing pay period dates, hours worked, total earnings, and itemized deductions.
  • Employers must keep accurate records of employees’ work hours and the wages they are paid over a three-year period.

For More Information…

Those who need guidance related to minimum wage or overtime may call 207-623-7900, or visit either of the following websites:

Minimum Wage: https://www.maine.gov/labor/labor_laws/minimum_wage_faq.html

Overtime: https://www.maine.gov/labor/labor_laws/overtime.html

We Make Compliance Easy

If you have not already done so, we encourage you to order our 1-Year Compliance Plan, so that you will automatically receive the updated Maine poster as soon as it becomes available. And because we provide free poster updates for mandatory changes, no matter how many occur during the plan year, you can always count on Poster Compliance Center to keep you in compliance!