Help Make Paid Family Leave a Reality in Maine

MPA, in coalition with Maine Women’s Lobby, has taken out papers for a citizen’s initiative to establish a statewide, universal paid family and medical leave program.

Our communities are stronger when our families have the safety and security of being able to care for each other when we get sick, experience an unexpected accident, or welcome a new child. But the majority of Mainers don’t have access to any extended paid leave to care for themselves or loved ones.

Everyone, no matter who they are, how much they make or what they do for a living, should be able to take care of themselves or a loved one in times of illness or other crises without going into debt, risking their job or housing, or facing other terrible trade offs. Creating a paid family and medical leave system, where everyone contributes what they can and everyone can access paid leave when they need it, would give Mainers the support they need to thrive in good times and bad.

While the Maine Paid Leave coalition is continuing to work with a legislative commission studying this policy, we want to be prepared with every possible avenue to pass paid leave in 2023, regardless of how the November election turns out. It’s not a matter of if paid leave will happen in Maine, it’s a matter of when and how. You can click here to read more about the ballot initiative.

In order to qualify for the ballot, we need to collect over 70,000 signatures from registered Maine voters in the next few months. Election Day on November 8th is one of the best days to collect a critical mass of signatures from voters at polling places across the state.

Can you help us collect signatures for Paid Leave on Election Day? Use the form below to sign up for a volunteer shift today. (And if you'd like to volunteer but can't help on Election Day, you can click here to fill out our campaign volunteer form to let us know).