On Thursday, September 14th, Governor Janet Mills issued an official proclamation announcing a state of emergency in Maine for Hurricane Lee.
Per City of Portland Maine Code Article III, Section 33.7(g), when the City Council or Governor issues a state of emergency, Portland’s minimum wage shall be calculated at 1.5x the regular minimum wage. Portland’s current minimum wage is $14/hour.
Effective September 14th, minimum wage for all work performed in the City of Portland (even if your business is not located in Portland) shall be calculated at $21/hour. Per our interpretation of City Code and State law, tipped employees may be paid at $10.50/hour.
This rate will stay in effect as long as the state of emergency is in place. It’s likely that the state of emergency will end after this weekend, but there is no way of knowing when it will end.
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How do I report my Payroll Hours?
When submitting payroll hours during this state of emergency, please be sure to separate out any hours worked during the emergency period and those worked outside of the emergency period. Remember, all employees must be paid at least $21/hour for any work performed in the City of Portland during this emergency period.
What if I have more questions?
All questions should be directed to the Portland City Manager’s office by emailing citymanager@portlandmaine.gov. You may also want to consult your attorney for any specific scenarios involving your business.