PORTLAND, Maine — Due to the declared emergency as a result of Hurricane Lee, Portland's minimum wage was temporarily increased to $21 an hour effective Thursday, officials say.
The Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce shared an announcement about the wage hike on Friday morning.
"Yesterday afternoon, Gov. Janet Mills declared a state of emergency throughout Maine due to the impending impacts of Hurricane Lee," the announcement stated.
The announcement continued, "Due to the voter-passed minimum wage referendum in 2020, which institutes an emergency wage of 1.5x the normal minimum when there is a declared emergency, all employers in the City of Portland must pay an emergency minimum wage starting yesterday and continuing indefinitely, of $21.00 per hour. The emergency minimum wage for tipped workers is now $10.50 per hour (plus tips)."
The chamber specified that the temporary emergency minimum wage applies to all employees and employers as of Thursday afternoon for any employee working in person at a physical workplace within the city limits of Portland.
Once Mills terminates her state of emergency declaration, the emergency wage will stop, and pay rates will return to normal, officials said.
Any employer who doesn't pay the higher emergency wage is "potentially liable for treble damages up to $63 an hour per underpaid employee on top of the $21/hr minimum wage," the announcement stated.
Anyone with questions about the emergency minimum wage is encouraged to email the chamber at edundon@portlandregion.com.