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Do Employers Have to Provide Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave Through the State Plan?


Maine’s Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program is mandatory — but how you provide it is up to you. Employers can meet their PFML requirement through the State Plan or by offering a substantially equivalent Private Plan (or “Private Plan,” for short).

A Private Plan must offer benefits that are equal to or greater than those provided under the State Plan and must cover all employees whose work is localized in Maine when the plan takes effect.

See how to apply for a Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Private Plan here.



Maine PFML Insurance

Benefits are scheduled to begin May 1, 2026


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What is an Approved Private Plan?


Maine gives employers flexibility when it comes to providing Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) benefits. You can choose to:

  • Self-insure (either self-administered or through a third-party administrator), or
  • Offer a fully insured plan through a commercial carrier like ShelterPoint*

No matter which option you choose, your Private Plan must:

  • Provide substantially equivalent rights, protections, and benefits as the State Plan
  • Cover all eligible employees
  • Not deduct more premium/contributions from employees’ wages than the State allows
  • Be approved by the Superintendent of Insurance and certified by the Maine Department of Labor, Division of Paid Leave

These requirements help ensure that both employers and employees are fully protected under the program.

You’ll still have certain ongoing obligations and notice requirements, whether you participate in the State Plan, self-insure, or work with a fully insured private carrier.

Why Would an Employer Want a Private Plan?

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
Reason 1
Private carriers like ShelterPoint have built the experience, scalability, and agility to manage this type of state-required coverage and have the resources to continuously expand and enhance capabilities to provide smooth service from onboarding to claims.
Reason 2
Private Plan carriers have resources to help employers remain in compliance and adequately informed.

Reason 3
Insurance carriers like ShelterPoint have long-standing experience around administering and paying claims, which contributes to fast claims turnaround and smooth claims service.



ShelterPoint’s Private Plan is issued in the form of a Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) policy that provides a fully-insured, compliant, stand-alone private option at competitively underwritten rates in Maine.

Download this guide about Private Plans to learn more about its advantages for you and your employees.

Learn how to get started with a Maine Private Plan here.



How to Apply for a Fully Insured Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave Private Plan through ShelterPoint

Here’s an overview of steps you need to take in Maine to apply for a fully insured Private Plan.

Step 1 – You and your broker

Provide your broker with the information they need to request a quote. Most carriers will have similar information requirements in order to provide your broker with a quote. But, for ShelterPoint specifically, please provide the following information about your group through your broker:
  • Your company’s full information, including full legal name, address, and SIC code
  • Census with employees working at your ME location(s) who are eligible for PFML, along with:
    • Gender
    • Employment status (full-time, part-time)
    • Date of birth
    • Salary
  • Include part-timers who meet the eligibility requirements
  • Desired effective date
If needed, we may require additional information.

Step 2 – ShelterPoint

  1. Based on your information, we will provide a proposal
  2. At ShelterPoint, after you have accepted the proposal, we will provide an application for coverage
  3. You and your broker would return the completed application and Broker Licensing information to your Sales Representative
  4. ShelterPoint then issues the policy and policy number and sends the documents to your broker

Step 3 – You and Your Broker

Your broker will then forward the documents to you

Step 4 – You and the ME DOL

If you have not already done so, register and log into the Maine Paid Leave Contributions portal

A: Start Private Plan Application by providing basic information

  • On the Summary page, click the More tab
  • Go to the Private Plan section and click Request Substitution of a Private Plan
  • Review the Introduction Page and click next
  • You'll be asked to provide:
    • Employer’s name and FEIN
    • Physical and mailing addresses
    • Name, title, mailing address, email, and phone number of the person completing the application
  • Attest to 4 statements to confirm Private Plan is consistent with Maine PFML law
    • The taking of family or medical leave under the Private Plan
    • Based on guidance from the Internal Revenue service
    • Upon request of the Department, the employer will provide
    • The Private Plan substitution covers all employers

B: Select Plan Type, Enter Private Plan Information and Upload Policy

  • Select Fully Insured as the plan type and then enter your Private Plan’s details:
    Insurance Carrier: ShelterPoint Life Insurance Company
    Plan Number: FRSR-134379852
    Benefit Begin Date: (Policy Effective Date as written on Policy)
  • Click Add Attachment to select file type as Private Plan Proof of Purchase
  • Upload ShelterPoint Policy Kit as Proof of Purchase

C: Verify Information, Pay Application Fee and Submit

  • Review that the Private Plan information submitted is correct
  • Enter the Payment Information to pay application fee of $250
  • Enter the portal login password to confirm your submission, then click Submit
  • You will receive notification of Department’s approval through portal

What to Expect After Submitting Your Application:

If your application is approved, here’s what happens next:

You’ll get a notification confirming approval and the start date of your exemption from premium payments to the State Plan. You need to send this to ShelterPoint as well

Reminder: you must continue paying premiums and submitting reports to the State Plan while your application is under review

You'll be informed of the effective date and end date of your exemption. Private Plan exemptions last 3 years from the start date

A reimbursement fee will be assessed by Maine DOL to cover the Department’s administrative costs for managing your Private Plan

Keep an eye on the Paid Leave Portal for updates.

Quarterly wage reports are due on or before the last day of the month following the end of each quarter through the Maine Paid Leave portal

Quarterly Wage Report Submission Schedule
Contribution Quarter Report Due By
Q1 (January-March) April 30th
Q2 (April-June) July 31st
Q3 (July-September) October 31st
Q4 (October-December) January 31st
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How to Keep Your Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave Private Plan Active

Once your Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) Private Plan is approved, you’re all set for the next three years — that’s how long your approval remains valid.

The Department will send you a reminder through the Maine Paid Leave Portal about 60 days before your approval period ends, giving you plenty of time to prepare. To keep your plan active without interruption, be sure to submit your renewal application at least 30 days before your plan’s expiration date.

   
 
What to Know When Providing a Fully Insured Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Private Plan

If you’re offering Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) coverage through a fully insured Private Plan with an approved carrier, here’s what to expect:

  • You’ll still submit contribution reports electronically each quarter to the Maine Department of Labor, but instead of paying the State, you’ll pay premiums directly to your insurance carrier.
  • Your carrier will handle the required claims data reporting each year — due by July 31 for the prior July-to-June period — on your behalf.
  • The carrier will also provide the proper tax forms for benefits paid to employees on leave, following guidance from the IRS and Maine Revenue Service regarding PFML benefit taxability.
  • You cannot withhold more from employee wages than the maximum contribution allowed by the State.
  • Once your Private Plan is active, employees apply for benefits directly through your Private Plan carrier.

 


Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Frequently Asked Question

 

How to Terminate a Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave Private Plan

If you need to end your Maine Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) Private Plan before your three-year approval period is up, you may do so under limited circumstances. You’ll need to show that continuing the plan would cause a significant direct negative business impact — for example, an unexpected and unreasonable premium increase.

There are also other situations where a Private Plan may be terminated. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • An employer choosing to end a Private Plan with one carrier in order to move to another approved carrier
  • A carrier terminating the Private Plan due to non-payment of premiums
  • The State terminating a Private Plan if an employer or carrier does not meet program requirements

If your request to cancel or terminate the Private Plan is approved, you won’t be able to apply for another Private Plan for three years following the termination.

If an insurer decides to stop offering a fully insured PFML plan, they must notify the Maine Bureau of Insurance at least three months in advance and provide six months’ notice to any affected employers before non-renewal.

 

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The ShelterPoint family of companies operates under the “ShelterPoint” name strictly as a marketing name, and no legal significance is expressed or implied. The ShelterPoint family of companies consists of ShelterPoint Life Insurance Company a NY-domiciled carrier (principal office in Garden City, NY) and its wholly-owned subsidiary ShelterPoint Insurance Company, a FL-domiciled carrier, with licensing depending on the state. ShelterPoint is a registered service mark.

This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal counsel. Please consult with an appropriate professional for legal and compliance advice. Any program information is based on our knowledge and understanding of Maine’s applicable laws and regulations as of the publication date and may change as regulations evolve or the Maine Department of Labor issues updated guidance. Further, this material is for illustrative purposes only, providing a general overview of the services described. It is not a contract nor intended as an offer of coverage.

Policies are subject to Underwriting approval. Policies are reviewed annually and may be cancelled for nonpayment. All coverage extends to limits reflected in the policy. Please refer to the policy for coverage details pursuant to its governing law, including a complete listing of covered services, provisions, conditions, exclusions, limitations, and terms under which the policy may be continued or cancelled. In the event of conflicting information with the policy and its governing Law, the policy and governing Law will take precedence over what is shown in this material. Claim payment is not guaranteed; benefit amount depends on wages. All images licensed through iStockphoto and Adobe Stock images.

The provisions of the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave law, 26 M.R.S. §§ 850-A – 850-R, and its implementing regulations, 12 CMR §702 ch.1, govern this Private Plan and its interpretation and administration. Available in ME only.

Underwritten by:ShelterPoint Life Insurance Company (principal office in Garden City, NY) in: ME (form# SPL PFMLP 1224 ME).

 

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All policies are underwritten and administered by either ShelterPoint Life Insurance Company (principal office in Garden City, NY), or ShelterPoint Insurance Company, a FL-domiciled carrier, depending on the state. Contact Underwriting for details.
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