Bill > LD1774

This bill establishes comprehensive workplace protections and standards for domestic workers in Maine by creating new regulations that cover multiple aspects of employment. The bill defines a "domestic worker" as an individual who provides services like childcare, elder care, housekeeping, and other in-home services, while explicitly excluding family members and certain service providers. Key provisions include requiring written employment contracts that specify job duties, wages, work schedules, rest breaks, and other employment terms; mandating 10-minute paid rest breaks for every 4 consecutive hours worked (with exceptions for continuous care roles); limiting overtime to 10 hours per two-week period; ensuring at least 24 consecutive hours of rest per week; providing 30 days' notice before dismissal; and establishing enhanced pay rates for work performed during unsociable hours (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.). The bill also grants domestic workers the right to organize and engage in collective activities, and creates a framework for penalties and enforcement, including potential fines between $100 and $1,000 for violations. Additionally, the legislation requires employers with domestic workers to provide sexual harassment training and ensures domestic workers have protections similar to other employees under state labor laws.

Labor and Employment

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1774&snum=132