Doctor's-Note & Sick-Leave Laws in Maine

Maine has a statewide earned-paid-leave law that works more broadly than a typical sick-leave law. Under the law, employees of businesses with more than 10 employees accrue up to 40 hours of paid leave per year that can be used for any reason, and an employer generally cannot require documentation or a stated reason for that leave. No Maine city has its own paid-sick-leave ordinance. For absences outside the law, employer policy controls, and a clear, verifiable physician's note can support a request for time off.

How sick leave works in Maine

Maine has a statewide earned-paid-leave law, and it is broader than a traditional sick-leave law. Under the law, employees at businesses with more than 10 employees in Maine accrue at least one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours in a defined year. This leave can be used for any reason — including illness, an emergency, or a planned absence — and the employee gives reasonable notice rather than a stated reason.

When a doctor’s note can be required

The answer depends on the type of leave:

• Earned paid leave: Under Maine Department of Labor rules, an employer generally cannot require documentation, such as a doctor’s note, or make the employee disclose the reason for using earned paid leave. The employee must provide reasonable advance notice when the need is foreseeable.
• Absences governed by company policy: Outside the earned-paid-leave law, Maine has no rule on this, so the employer’s own policy governs. What that policy usually wants is a note from a licensed physician stating the dates, without a diagnosis.

Local ordinances

No Maine city or county has its own paid-sick-leave ordinance; the statewide Earned Paid Leave law applies across the state.

Maine’s rules can shift over time, and this page is not a substitute for legal advice. Confirm anything time-sensitive with the Maine Department of Labor.