Bill > LD799

This bill requires employers with at least one employee in Maine and at least 250 employees in the United States to collect and report detailed gender-based wage data annually. Starting in 2025, covered employers must choose a one-week "snapshot week" between October 1st and December 31st to collect employee data, with gender based on self-identification. By June 1st each year, employers must submit a report to the state bureau detailing the number of male, female, and nonbinary employees, their median hourly equivalent pay rates, and the gender wage gap (calculated by dividing male employees' median pay by female employees' median pay). These reports will only be submitted if each gender category has at least 100 employees to protect individual privacy. Beginning in September 2026, the bureau will publicly publish these reports, including the employer's name, and provide a summary to legislative committees. Employers who fail to comply can be fined up to $1,000, and they must retain the collected data for at least one year after submission. The bill aims to increase transparency around gender pay disparities by mandating systematic wage gap reporting across larger employers in the state.

Labor and Employment

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=799&snum=132