Maine overtime law

Who is exempt

Salaried executive, administrative and professional staff who pass the duties test and earn above the state salary level. Salary alone does not make someone exempt. Source: legislature.maine.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

Industry-specific rules

No state overtime for car mechanics, parts clerks and salespeople, mariners, some food and farm produce processing, certain non-hourly drivers, and most local public employees. Federal law may still apply. Source: legislature.maine.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

Penalties

Employer owes the unpaid wages plus an equal amount as liquidated damages, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. Source: legislature.maine.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

Recent changes

On January 1, 2026 the minimum wage rose to $15.10 per hour, raising the exempt salary threshold to $871.16 per week. Source: maine.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)

The law and where to check

The law: 26 M.R.S. § 664(3) (opens in a new tab)

The agency: Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards (opens in a new tab)

What federal law says

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek for non-exempt employees. Federal law has no daily overtime. The federal salary level for most exempt staff is $684 a week. Where state and federal rules differ, follow the rule that gives the employee more. Source: U.S. Department of Labor↗ (opens in a new tab) Source: U.S. DOL — salary levels↗ (opens in a new tab)

Free tool: work out overtime pay with our State Overtime Calculator.

Overtime checklist for Maine employers

A simple order of work, based on the rules above. It is not a legal checklist.

1. Decide which employees are non-exempt, and check exempt staff meet the salary and duties tests.
2. Set your workweek (a fixed, repeating 7-day period).
3. Track all hours worked, including daily hours if your state has daily overtime.
4. Pay overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate, including bonuses where required.
5. Use our free State Overtime Calculator to check the numbers.
6. Keep time and pay records.

More Maine employment law guides

• All Maine employment laws
• Maine final paycheck law
• Maine paid sick leave law
• Maine meal and rest break laws
• Maine pay frequency law
• Maine vacation and PTO payout law
• Maine new hire reporting
• Maine at-will exceptions

Overtime laws in other states

See every state on one page, or pick a state:

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• Maine
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• New Jersey
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• North Carolina
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• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Disclaimer: This guide provides general information based on publicly available official sources and is for information only. It is not legal, tax, payroll or employment-law advice and does not guarantee compliance with federal, state or local requirements. Rules can depend on your location, industry, contracts and other circumstances, and laws change. Always check the official source, the relevant government agency or a qualified professional before making a decision. MadyHR.ai accepts no responsibility for any action taken based on this page.

Last checked: October 19, 2026. Every rule and source link on this page was checked against the official government source on this date. Laws change, so always open the source link before you act.