An Act Regarding the Sick Days of an Employee Who Is Terminated While on Sick Leave

Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §626, first ¶,  as amended by PL 1991, c. 162, is further amended to read:

An employee leaving employment must be paid in full within a reasonable time after demand at the office of the employer where payrolls are kept and wages are paid, provided that any overcompensation may be withheld if authorized under section 635 and any loan or advance against future earnings or wages may be deducted if evidenced by a statement in writing signed by the employee. Whenever the terms of employment include provisions for paid vacations, vacation pay on cessation of employment has the same status as wages earned. When an employer terminates the employment of an employee while that employee is out on compensated sick leave, sick leave accrued on cessation of employment has the same status as wages earned.

summary

This bill requires an employer who terminates the employment of an employee while that employee is out on compensated sick leave to compensate that employee for all accrued sick leave.