Bill
LD 598
Maine requires employers to pay a minimum reporting pay when workers show up, with enforcement by the Department of Labor; local governments may face added costs.
Status and sponsor
- Introduced: February 19, 2025. Sponsor: Sen. Tipping (Penobscot). Referred to the Committee on Labor.
- Action: Passed by the Legislature (House and Senate votes on June 3–11, 2025, with recorded roll calls during concurrence/engrossment). Became law without the Governor’s signature on June 24, 2025.
Purpose
- The bill establishes a statutory requirement that employees receive a minimum level of pay when they report to work. The title indicates the law creates a “reporting pay” (also called “call-in” or “minimum reporting”) obligation for employers; the enacted law’s detailed operative language (specific dollar amounts, qualifying situations, timing, and exemptions) is contained in the bill text/amendments (not included in these documents).
Key provisions (based on available legislative documents)
- Creates a requirement that employers pay employees a minimum amount for reporting to work.
- The bill was amended in committee and by both chambers (Committee Amendment “A” S‑195; House Amendment “A” H‑471; Senate Amendment “A” S‑301) before final passage — the final, engrossed version incorporates those amendments.
- Enforcement responsibility lies with the Maine Department of Labor.
Who is affected
- Employers and employees in Maine. Employers may incur additional payroll costs when employees report to work and are eligible for the minimum reporting pay.
- Local units of government may be affected: fiscal notes repeatedly note potential increased costs for municipal/county employers if their employees are not covered by collective bargaining agreements. The magnitude of local government impact was not estimated in the available fiscal notes.
Fiscal impact and enforcement
- Department of Labor: Fiscal notes state the Department can absorb the additional implementation and enforcement workload within existing budgeted resources (minor General Fund cost — absorbable).
- Local governments and State (depending on amendments): Several fiscal notes indicate a potential current‑biennium cost increase to local units of government, and in one amendment to the State, if employees are not covered by collective bargaining agreements; the impacts cannot be precisely estimated from the available documents.
Procedure and timeline highlights
- Committee work and amendments occurred in April–June 2025 (work session April 15; divided report; reported out OTP‑AM/ONTP May 29). Multiple floor votes and concurrence exchanges occurred June 2–11, 2025. The Legislature enacted the bill as amended; it became law without the Governor’s signature on June 24, 2025.
Note
- This summary synthesizes the bill title, legislative action history, and fiscal notes. For exact legal obligations (the minimum payment amount, qualifying conditions, exemptions, effective date, and statutory placement), consult the final enrolled/engrossed bill text or the revised Maine Statutes after enactment.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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