LeaveCalc / State paid leave / Maine weekly benefit calculator

NEW — paying benefits since May 1, 2026

Maine Paid Leave calculator

Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program is brand new — benefits are only paid for leave starting on or after May 1, 2026. Enter your gross wage and instantly estimate your weekly benefit under the tiered replacement formula, plus the 2026 maximum.

✓ Free ✓ Runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded ✓ 2026 figures ↗ Official source: maine.gov/paidleave

1 Your wage & leave

Based on the Maine PFML two-tier formula for the 2026 benefit year, using the state average weekly wage (SAWW). Your actual benefit is set by the Maine Department of Labor using your highest-earning quarters, not a single wage figure.

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Not legal or benefits advice. Estimates only — the official program calculator is authoritative. See maine.gov/paidleave.

How we calculated this

Data verified July 2026 against Maine's official PFML Employee FAQ (June 2026 edition).

  • Weekly benefit formula. 90% of your average weekly wage (AWW) up to $624.56 (half the SAWW); plus 66% of the portion above $624.56. Capped at $1,249.12/week for 2026. Source: Maine PFML Employee FAQ.
  • Leave duration. Up to 12 weeks total per benefit year, drawn from a single combined bank across medical, bonding, family-care, military-exigency, and safe leave - they are not stacked separately. Source: Maine PFML Employee FAQ.
  • Waiting week - medical leave only. If your leave is for your own medical condition, the first 7 calendar days aren't paid. There is no waiting period for family, bonding, military, or safe leave. You complete at most one waiting period per benefit year. Source: Maine PFML Employee FAQ, Q11.
  • Notice to your employer. Give reasonable notice - about 30 days for foreseeable leave, or as soon as you know otherwise; as soon as possible for emergencies. Source: Maine PFML Employee FAQ, Q9.
  • Application window. You can submit your application as early as 60 days before your leave starts, and as late as 90 days after it starts. Miss that window and you can still ask for a late-filing review. Source: Maine PFML Employee FAQ, Q18.
  • Benefits began May 1, 2026 for leave starting on or after that date, even though payroll contributions started in January 2025.
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How the Maine Paid Leave weekly benefit is calculated

Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave program is brand new: payroll contributions began January 1, 2025, but benefits are only paid for leave that starts on or after May 1, 2026. It replaces part of your wages while you're on approved medical, family, military-exigency, or safe leave. Maine's state average weekly wage (SAWW) updates every July 1; the current SAWW is $1,249.12 (effective July 1, 2026 — it was $1,198.84 for the program's initial May–June 2026 window). Wondering how much you'll get? The state's own maine.gov paidleave benefit estimate tool covers this too, but here's the same math instantly. The formula is tiered in two steps:

The formula. 90% of your average weekly wage (AWW) up to 50% of the SAWW ($624.56); plus 66% of the portion of your AWW above $624.56. The weekly benefit is capped at $1,249.12/week for 2026 — the state average weekly wage itself, which is also the maximum any claimant can receive regardless of how high their wage is.

How long does the benefit last?

Maine PFML provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave per benefit year, covering your own serious health condition, bonding with a new child, caring for a family member, military exigency, or safe leave. Unlike some states, these reasons draw from a single combined 12-week bank per benefit year — they are not stacked on top of each other.

Source: Maine Department of Labor, 2026.

Maine Paid Leave FAQ (2026)

How much will I get from Maine Paid Leave?

Maine pays 90% of your average weekly wage up to $624.56 (half the state average), plus 66% of anything above that. The maximum weekly benefit is $1,249.12 for 2026 — the state average weekly wage itself.

Is Maine PFML really new?

Yes. Maine's program only began paying benefits for leave starting May 1, 2026, even though payroll deductions to fund it started back in January 2025.

Who is eligible for Maine PFML?

Most workers qualify if they earned at least $7,188 (a state-set threshold) from Maine employment during the base period — the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before your benefit year starts. See maine.gov/paidleave for exact rules.

Is the benefit taxable?

Paid Leave benefits are generally expected to be treated as taxable income for federal purposes, similar to other state paid-leave programs, but confirm current guidance with the IRS or a tax professional.