A Wage Claim
26 M.R.S. § 626-A — the unpaid wages, twice that again, and fees, from 8 days after they were due
An employer owes the unpaid wages and health benefits. A judgment for the employee adds a reasonable rate of interest, costs and a reasonable attorney's fee, and an additional amount equal to twice the unpaid wages as liquidated damages.
Who handles this in Maine: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Maine directory.
- When the wages are clearly due with no honest dispute, the remedies open 8 days after the due date.
- When there is an honest dispute when payment is due, they open 8 days after a demand, if the wages were in fact due and are still unpaid.
- The employee may sue, or the Department of Labor may sue on the employee's behalf and collect the judgment.
Breaking the pay day, final pay or equal pay rules also carries a fine of $100 to $500 for each violation.
Sources for this section (1)
- 26 M.R.S. § 626-A — Penalties
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maine attorney.