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Known as The Pine Tree State, Maine's captivating landscape famously features a rocky coastline adorned with picturesque lighthouses, lush forests teeming with wildlife and quaint towns exuding New England charm.
Amidst this scenic backdrop, Maine's economy flourishes with various industries such as lobster fishing along the coast, logging in the vast woodlands, and tourism, drawing visitors to its iconic landmarks and outdoor attractions year-round.
Protecting your business and employees with workers' compensation insurance is paramount in this dynamic environment. Workers’ comp provides essential coverage for accidents and injuries, ensuring the well-being of your workforce and the longevity of your business in the vibrant state of Maine.
Workers' compensation is a state-mandated insurance program for almost all employers in Maine. It’s designed to provide employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses with medical treatment and indemnity benefits.
Without workers’ compensation, the cost of a work-related injured or ill employee’s medical treatment could become the responsibility of your business.
The Maine Workers' Compensation Board administers the workers’ comp law in the state. The law requires employers with one or more employees to be covered by an active workers’ compensation insurance policy.
Businesses can obtain workers’ comp coverage through a partner like EverPeak Insurance. Alternatively, companies that meet the state’s requirements may also apply to be self-insured.
Employees can verify online if their employer has coverage.
Policies include protection for full and part-time workers.
Some exemptions from workers’ comp in Maine may include, for example:
Workers' compensation covers a range of work-related injuries and illnesses, including physical injuries resulting from an accident and occupational diseases that may develop over time due to job conditions.
Maine workers’ comp insurance provides three types of benefits for work injuries:
Injured workers are paid 66 ⅔% of their average weekly wage.
As of 2023, Maine’s workers’ comp weekly benefit amount maximum is $1,379.64.
In the event of a work-related injury or illness:
Employees in Maine should report their injury to their employer immediately but no later than seven days from the accident.
The employee should immediately seek medical attention.
If the workers’ compensation claim is accepted, an injured employee may begin to receive workers’ compensation benefits, such as lost wages and medical benefits.
Following their recovery, a worker is expected to resume work safely. If an employee is unable to return to their previous position or any other type of work due to their work-related injury, they may be entitled to permanent total disability benefits.
In Maine, If an employer has selected a health care provider, the injured worker must go to the employer's selected health care provider for the first 10 days of treatment.
If the injured worker wants to change health care providers after the first ten days, they must tell their employer that they are going to do that and provide their employer with the name of the new health care provider.
Employers may request a second opinion from a different provider, regardless of the employee's choice of doctor.
If an employee is off work between seven and 13 days, they will only be paid for those days during that period. Should an employee miss more than 14 days, they will be paid for all of the days that they have missed.
For example, if they miss nine days of work, the employee would only receive two days of benefits. If they missed 16 days of work, the injured worker would receive 16 days of benefits.
If an employee disagrees with their claim closure, they have the right to appeal by filing a Notice of Intent to Appeal form with the Appellate Division of the Workers’ Compensation Board.
Generally, unless exempt, employers in Maine must carry workers' compensation insurance or qualify for self-insurance. Compliance with this requirement is essential to protect both the employer and employees.
When selecting a workers' compensation insurance provider, consider factors such as the provider's experience in the industry, financial stability, coverage options, claims process, customer service, and cost.
We recommend requesting multiple quotes and comparing the offerings before making a decision.
Covering your business and employees with a trusted insurance partner — like EverPeak — brings peace of mind so you can focus on your bottom line.
In Maine, penalties for businesses failing to have workers’ compensation coverage include:
In most cases, policies bar employees in Maine from suing their employers for work-related injuries or illnesses. The workers' compensation system provides an exclusive remedy, meaning that employees typically cannot file a lawsuit against their employers. Instead, they must pursue a workers' compensation claim to receive benefits for their injuries or illnesses.
Generally, a business’s workers’ compensation policy does not cover independent contractors in Maine. Workers' compensation laws typically apply to employees rather than independent contractors.
However, it's important to note that the classification of a worker as an independent contractor or an employee can be complex, and misclassification can lead to legal disputes. If unsure whether an independent contractor should be treated as an employee, seek legal guidance.
The incident should be reported immediately or within a few days of the occurrence. Prompt reporting helps ensure the necessary steps are taken to initiate the workers' compensation claims process.
Employees can verify online if their employer has coverage.