2024 Maine Minimum Wage
The 2024 Maine Minimum Wage is $14.15.
Effective 2024-01-01Source: Maine's Minimum Wage to Increase to $14.15 Per Hour in 2024 (Maine Department of Labor)Verified 2026-08-31
Compared with 2023
| Item | 2023 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $13.80 | $14.15 | +$0.35 (+2.5%) |
Who it applies to
Nonexempt workers employed in the state of Maine
What changed this year, and why
Maine's state minimum wage increased to $14.15 per hour, effective January 1, 2024, up from $13.80 per hour in 2023. The adjustment is required annually by Maine law based on the cost-of-living index.
Common questions
- When did the 2024 minimum wage take effect?
- The $14.15 per hour minimum wage took effect on January 1, 2024.
- What was the minimum wage in Maine before 2024?
- In 2023, the minimum wage was $13.80 per hour.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
Maine does not have a separate statutory subminimum wage for minors or students on this poster. The only reduced rate the state authorizes is for "service employees" who regularly receive more than $179 a month in tips. Those workers may be paid a direct cash wage of $7.08 per hour as of January 1, 2024, but only if that amount plus tips reaches at least the full state minimum wage of $14.15 per hour on a weekly average. If the combined total falls short in any workweek, the Maine employer must make up the difference. Employers should confirm with the Maine Department of Labor whether any trainee, student, or youth worker qualifies for a different rate, because general federal subminimum wage provisions under the FLSA may still apply in limited circumstances.
A service employee is someone who regularly receives more than $179 a month in tips. As of January 1, 2024, employers must pay a direct service wage of at least $7.08 per hour. If the employee’s direct wage combined with earned tips do not average, on a weekly basis, the state required minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
In Maine, the state sets a floor of $14.15 per hour, but individual cities and towns may adopt their own higher minimum wage through a local ordinance. Workers in Bangor, Portland, or any other Maine municipality that passes such a law may be entitled to a higher local rate than the state minimum. Employers with locations in those municipalities must check with local officials to confirm the rate that applies to their employees. When both a state and a local minimum wage apply, the worker receives whichever rate is higher. Maine employers should monitor any municipal ordinances in the cities where they operate, because local requirements can exceed the state level.
Employers with employees who work in Bangor and/or Portland or any other municipality that passes a local minimum wage ordinance, may be subject to additional regulations and should check with municipal officials.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
In Maine, employers must pay employees overtime at a rate of at least time and one-half their regular rate of pay for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek. For someone earning the state minimum wage of $14.15 per hour, this means overtime hours must be paid at no less than one and one-half times that regular rate. Employers may choose to allow or deny overtime, but when overtime is worked it must be paid in accordance with state requirements. Private-sector employers in Maine cannot use compensatory "comp" time in place of overtime pay, though they may let employees flex their hours within the same workweek. Certain workers may be specifically exempted from overtime under state or federal law based on both a salary threshold and a duties test.
Unless specifically exempted, employees must receive overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rate of pay.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
Labor laws in Maine protect workers throughout the state. The Maine Department of Labor administers these laws, including the minimum wage of $14.15 per hour. Workers who believe they are not being paid correctly should contact the department to file a complaint or ask questions. The department investigates wage claims and may issue citations and penalties to employers who violate state law. Information about filing a complaint and understanding Maine wage requirements is available on the department's webpage. Workers covered under federal law may also need to contact the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Office for issues involving federal minimum wage requirements.
Labor Laws of the State of Maine provide protection for people who work in Maine. The Maine Department of Labor administers the laws, which all employers must follow.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
Maine employers may also be covered under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets its own minimum wage requirements. When both state and federal minimum wage laws apply, the worker receives the higher of the two rates. Maine's minimum wage of $14.15 per hour exceeds the federal floor, so workers in Maine are entitled to the state rate. However, employers must still comply with federal recordkeeping and overtime rules under the FLSA if they are covered. The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Office handles questions about federal coverage. Workers in Maine should understand that both laws may apply simultaneously, and whichever provides greater protection governs their pay.
*Note: Maine employers may also be covered under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
Maine law allows employers to count tips toward the minimum wage for service employees. A service employee is defined as someone who regularly receives more than $179 a month in tips. As of January 1, 2024, employers must pay a direct service wage of at least $7.08 per hour to these workers. However, if the employee's direct wage combined with earned tips does not average at least the full state minimum wage of $14.15 per hour on a weekly basis, the employer must pay the difference. This means tips can supplement the direct cash wage, but the employer always bears responsibility for ensuring the worker receives the full state minimum wage when direct wages and tips are combined.
A service employee is someone who regularly receives more than $179 a month in tips. As of January 1, 2024, employers must pay a direct service wage of at least $7.08 per hour. If the employee’s direct wage combined with earned tips do not average, on a weekly basis, the state required minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
What an employer may deduct from your pay
Maine employers must provide each employee with a pay statement at the time wages are paid. This statement must clearly show the date of the pay period, hours worked, total earnings, and itemized deductions. Workers in Maine should review these statements to verify their pay is correct and that any deductions are properly documented. If deductions reduce an employee's pay below the state minimum wage of $14.15 per hour, that may be a violation. The Maine Department of Labor enforces these requirements and provides guidance through its webpage and Minimum Wage Guidance resources for workers who believe deductions have been improperly applied.
Every employer shall give to each employee with the payment of wages a statement clearly showing the date of the pay period, hours worked, total earnings and itemized deductions.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
Under federal law, when a state minimum wage is lower than the federal minimum wage, the higher federal rate applies to covered employers. Maine's minimum wage of $14.15 per hour currently exceeds the federal floor, so workers in Maine receive the state rate. However, the principle remains important: if Maine's rate were ever to fall below the federal minimum, employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act would be required to pay the higher federal amount. Workers are always entitled to whichever rate—state or federal—provides greater protection. Both Maine and federal law apply simultaneously to covered employers, and compliance with the higher standard is required.
*Note: Maine employers may also be covered under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. For more information, contact the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Office at 603-666-7716.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
Maine's minimum wage of $14.15 per hour took effect on January 1, 2024. This rate applies to all employers covered under state law, which includes any business operating in Maine with at least one employee. While this poster establishes the current rate and its effective date, workers and employers should be aware that minimum wage rates may be adjusted over time. Maine law may provide for periodic updates to the minimum wage based on economic factors, and any changes would be announced by the Maine Department of Labor. Workers should check with the department or visit its webpage for information about current rates in future years, as the rate shown here applies specifically to 2024 and may differ in subsequent years if adjusted according to state law.
Effective January 1, 2024, the minimum wage in Maine is $14.15 per hour.
Minimum Wage poster, effective January 1, 2024 (rev. 12/23) (Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Maine's Minimum Wage to Increase to $14.15 Per Hour in 2024 (Maine Department of Labor)
- Hourly
The employer must be able to show that the employee receives at least the minimum wage of $14.15 per hour when the direct wage and tips are combined at the end of the week.
Other years
Every Maine Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state