Maine Paid Family and
Medical Leave (ME PFML)
Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave (ME PFML) is a mandated paid leave program that provides eligible employees with job‑protected leave and partial wage replacement when they are unable to work due to their own serious health condition, including illness, injury, pregnancy, and recovery from childbirth. Employees may also qualify for benefits to care for a seriously ill family member, to bond with a new child, to address qualifying needs related to a family member’s military service (including a pending or active deployment), or to take safe leave.
Employers may satisfy their obligations under ME PFML by participating in the state‑administered program or by offering an approved private plan that is substantially equivalent to the state program. Private plans may be fully insured, self‑insured, or a combination of both, and must be approved by the Maine Department of Labor.
MetLife intends to offer fully insured coverage to support an employer’s ME PFML private plan and to provide administrative services for employers that maintain a self‑insured private plan. MetLife’s insurance offerings and administrative services comply with the applicable requirements of the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave law and its implementing regulations.
Benefit Overview
Mandated Coverage & Employee Eligibility
HintLeave Reason, Duration, Job Protection
HintCost of Coverage and Contributions
HintBenefit Payments
HintEmployers are required to offer ME PFML benefits if they have 1 or more employees working in the state.
All employees working for a covered employer are eligible for ME PFML benefits if they have earned at least 6 times the SAWW working in Maine the year before benefits start. Self-employed individuals may opt-in
to the state-run program.
The Federal government and its employees are exempted from the law, as are employees subject to the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act; employees of a tribal government unless the tribal government opted in.
Eligible employees can receive part of their pay if they need to take time off for certain reasons. ME PFML provides job protection once an employee has worked for an employer for at least 120 days.
Medical Leave can be taken for up to 12 weeks to:
- address a personal serious health condition of injury, including pregnancy (7-day waiting period)
Family Leave can be taken for up to 12 weeks to:
- bond with a new child
- care for a family member with a s serious health condition
- assist while loved ones are on overseas military deployment
- to address safety concerns, such as domestic violence, assault, or sexual assault
- organ donation
- Bereavement can be used for death or serious health condition of certain family members in the armed forces (up to 12 days) Employers can approve intermittent leave down to 1-hour increments. ME PFML can be taken intermittently in amounts as low as the minimum increment that the employer uses for FMLA. MetLife recommends a minimum increment of 1 minute.
Beginning, May 1, 2026, the maximum ME PFML employee contribution is $922.50, or 0.5% of an employee’s wages, up to the Social Security taxable maximum ($184,500).
Private plan premiums may differ, however, employee maximum contributions for a private plan cannot be more than what they would pay for the state-run program. Employers fund the balance of the premium for private plans. Employers may also choose to fund the benefit on behalf of their employees.
MetLife can also provide claim administration for self-insured private plans. Employers are allowed to collect payroll contributions up to the state’s maximums and use the funds to pay benefits. Service fees paid to support the operating costs for state approved self-insured plans are the employer’s responsibility.
The benefit amount an employee can receive depends on the employee’s average weekly pay.
While benefits are not yet payable, the state has provided the following information for calculating benefit payments once benefits are payable: an employee could receive 90% of their average weekly wage that is equal to or less than 50% of the state average weekly wage, plus 66% of their average weekly wage that is more than 50% of the state average weekly wage, up to the maximum.
Key Dates
- All employers begin contributing and taking employee payroll contribution deductions
- Review the state’s what you need to know flyer
Applying for a MetLife Supported Private Plan
MetLife’s customers are responsible for obtaining and maintaining approval of their ME PFML private plan, with each appropriate agency and in accordance with applicable law, rules, regulations, and guidance. You should consult with your attorney about the requirements for obtaining and maintaining such approval.
MetLife can provide fully insured coverage for Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave that helps support an employer's private plan. MetLife can also provide administrative services related to an employer's self-insured private plan. MetLife's insurance offering and administration of an employer's private plan complies with the regulatory requirements of the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave law.
To obtain a quote from MetLife, you or your broker must create a census of your eligible Maine workforce and send it to MetLife. This census template was developed for your convenience.
Based on the information that is provided to MetLife in your census you will be issued a quote.
If fully insured, MetLife will issue a state-approved ME PFML policy.
If self-funded, MetLife will issue an Administrative Services Agreement (ASA) and employers will need to work with their own employment counsel to define their ME PFML plan to submit to the state for approval.
Employers are responsible for registering with the state for each of their FEINs.
Not applicable
Employers are responsible for applying for their private plan. Private plans require an application with and approval by the state for each FEIN.
Private plan applications must be approved in the quarter prior to the quarter the benefits go into effect. If an employer submits a private plan application less than 30 days prior to the end of a quarter, and the application is approved, the private plan will be effective on the first day of the following quarter.
Employers must submit an application for approval of their private plan substitution. You can submit your application via the Maine Paid Leave Contributions Portal.
To apply for a fully insured ME PFML private plan, you will need:
- Policy documentation provided by MetLife
- $500 application fee, $250 will be refunded if the plan is not approved
You must work with your own employment counsel to define your self-insured plan.
Please refer to the state’s website for more information on self-insured private plan applications including surety bond and other requirements.
Employers applying for a private plan approval will be required to pay a $500 application fee for each FEIN when they submit their application. $250 will be refunded if the plan is not approved.
Once you receive approval, please send your MetLife representative a copy of your state approved plan.
If a private plan application is submitted and approved fewer than 30 days prior to the end of the quarter, the private plan will be effective the first day of the following quarter.
Effective 5/1/2026: Private plan applications prior to the last 30 days of a quarter may have the tax exemption retroactive to the first day of that existing quarter. Applications received within the last 30 days of a given quarter will have the tax exemption start date look forward to the first day beginning in the new quarter.
For Example:
- A private plan application submitted in May can have a Benefit start date of June 1 and a tax exemption start date of April 1.
- If a private plan application is submitted in June, the private plan benefit start date can be July 1 and the tax exemption would also be July 1.
Ongoing Employer Responsibilities
Employers are responsible for notifying all eligible employees of the benefits available to them utilizing the state's Paid Family Medical Leave employee notice for Private Plans.
Employers are required to post an employee notice in a conspicuous place on each of its premises. Additionally, Employers must provide notice to new employees within 30 days of an employee starting at the company.
Please access the employee notice poster here.
When MetLife policies renew, and when state and or federal changes impact contribution rates, employers may need to consider how it impacts employee contributions, if applicable. MetLife policy renewal and state and or federal changes may not happen at the same time. If an employer collects contributions from employees, employers must adjust payroll deductions accordingly.
Employers are required to submit quarterly wage report to the state. In addition, employers must also submit an annual data report through the Maine Paid Leave Portal by July 1 of each year that outlines performance metrics of the private plan.
ME PFML private plans are valid for 3 years. The state will send a renewal reminder 60 days before plan expiration. Your MetLife policy will automatically renew on its anniversary date and any changes to premium or benefits will be communicated in advance.
The state's renewal date for your plan may be different than MetLife's renewal date. If we need to make significant updates to your fully insured policy, we will refile it with the state. Once approved, we will issue updated policy documents to you for your records.
MetLife will reach out to employers to verify and or provide missing information and documentation, as needed.
Premium Payment
Employers should ensure that they or their TPA are remitting premiums or state contributions to the appropriate plan administrator. If the employer is switching from a state run program to MetLife for claim administration, it is important to ensure state contributions stop as of the private plan effective date given by the state and future premium payment is sent to MetLife. If the employer is switching from another private insurance carrier to MetLife, the prior claim administrator should also be notified directly to ensure billing ends on the correct date.
Taking a Leave
Filing for Benefits with MetLife
HintSupporting Claim Documentation
HintCoordination of Benefits
HintStep 1: An employee should notify an employer of the need for a leave as soon as possible.
Step 2: An employee should file a claim, not more than 60 days in advance of any foreseeable leave. If the leave is unforeseeable, claims may be submitted up to 90 days after the leave has begun.
Step 3: After all information has been received, a decision will be made within 10 calendar days or the first day of leave, whichever is later.
Step 4: If a claim is approved both the employer and the employee will be notified of the approval within 5 business days of the approval.
Step 5: The employee will receive their first benefit payment within two weeks of claim approval.
Step 6: If an employee’s claim is denied, the employee may appeal the claim with MetLife within 15 business days.
Proof to support an employee’s leave may be required before the claim decision can be made. The state is still defining these requirements.
Employees may qualify for more than one benefit based on the leave reason. ME PFML, ME FMLA and Federal FMLA can be taken at the same time and should run concurrently when applicable. Employees cannot be required to use paid leave programs like PTO, paid sick leave, or paid vacation, while receiving paid benefits under ME PFML.
MetLife’s claims team will reach out to the employer to coordinate dates of the company leave that directly overlap with the state leave.
MetLife representatives can help review employer paid benefits that may overlap with the state leave. They can help document overlaps and preferred contact and action when the overlap happens.
Note: There may be additional leaves that MetLife does not administer. Employers may be responsible for providing additional leaves for their employees. Employers should consult their own employment attorneys.
FAQs
A child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or any individual with whom the employee has a significant personal bond that is or is like a family relationship, regardless of biological or legal relationship.
As of November 5, 2025