An Act To Clarify COVID-19 Paid Leave for School Employees
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1874
Committee: Labor and Housing
Sponsors: WHITE, CURRY, DODGE, MILLETT, SACHS, SYLVESTER, BALDACCI, HICKMAN, RAFFERTY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §13605

Legislative Document
No. 1874
H.P. 1384
House of Representatives, January 5, 2022
An Act To Clarify COVID-19 Paid Leave for School Employees
(EMERGENCY)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Reference to the Committee on Labor and Housing suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative WHITE of Waterville.
Cosponsored by Senator CURRY of Waldo and
Representatives: DODGE of Belfast, McCREA of Fort Fairfield, MILLETT of Cape Elizabeth, 
SACHS of Freeport, SYLVESTER of Portland, Senators: BALDACCI of Penobscot, 
HICKMAN of Kennebec, RAFFERTY of York.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, Public Law 2021, chapter 378 requires school administrative units to grant 
up to 15 sick leave days used by a public school employee affected by COVID-19; and
Whereas, the provisions of Public Law 2021, chapter 378 apply only to leave taken 
before the effective date of that law; and
Whereas, public school employees continue to experience the personal and economic 
effects of the COVID-19 pandemic but remain without sufficient paid leave to weather 
these effects; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §13605, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 378, §1, is amended to read:
§13605.  School administrative units to grant sick paid leave to public school 
employees affected by COVID-19
A school administrative unit shall grant up to 15 sick paid leave days used by to a 
public school employee affected by the illness caused by infection with the coronavirus 
SARS-CoV-2, referred to in this section as “COVID-19,” in accordance with the following.
1.  Requirements.  A public school employee who was is affected by COVID-19 and 
used sick is granted up to a maximum of 15 days of paid leave prior to the effective date of 
this section is entitled to have sick leave time restored for those days used by that employee 
up to a maximum of 15 days if when needed by the employee because the employee:
A.  Was  Is subject to a federal, state or local quarantine order related to COVID-19;
B.  Had Has been or was is advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine for 
reasons related to COVID-19;
C.  Experienced Is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and sought is seeking a 
medical diagnosis;
D.  Cared Is caring for an individual subject to a federal, state or local quarantine order 
related to COVID-19; or
E.  Is a parent or guardian who provided is providing care for a child whose school or 
place of child care was is closed or unavailable due to precautions related to COVID-
19.
2.  Application.  This section applies to any sick leave used by an employee from 
January 1, 2021 until the employee has been granted a maximum of 15 days of sick time 
paid leave for the purposes described in this section.
Sec. 2.  Restoration.  A public school employee who used sick leave pursuant to the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 13605 prior to the effective date of this Act 
may request that that leave time be restored, and the school administrative unit shall comply 
with that request.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the law requiring school administrative units to restore up to 15 sick 
leave days used by a public school employee affected by COVID-19 to instead grant up to 
a maximum of 15 days of paid leave for the purposes described in the law from January 1, 
2021 until the maximum has been reached.  The bill provides that a public school employee 
who used sick leave prior to the effective date of this legislation is entitled to request that 
that leave time be restored, and the school administrative unit is required to comply with 
the request.