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State addendum · first edition, October 2026 Ready
Employment Services in Maine
Maine ended subminimum wage in 2020 and writes Employment First into law. Its waivers pay for Career Planning, Employment Specialist Services and Work Support, delivered by certified staff.
Maine at a glance
| Agency for employment services | DHHS Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) |
|---|---|
| How employment is funded | MaineCare Section 21 and Section 29 waivers; a Lifespan waiver is planned |
| Vocational rehabilitation | Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Maine Department of Labor |
| Medicaid agency | DHHS Office of MaineCare Services |
| Minimum wage | $15.10 (2026); Portland $16.75 |
The three biggest differences
- Already aligned. No subminimum wage, Employment First in statute, and waiver services that must lead to work at minimum wage or more.
- Certified specialists. Employment Specialists earn a state-approved certification within six months; an ACRE certificate can stand in for training.
- VR comes first. Waiver job development is allowed only when vocational rehabilitation has denied or cannot provide it.
What the full addendum gives you
Twelve sections, filed directly behind Volume 0 and adopted by a single change request. Every rule cites its official source; anything not yet confirmed is marked for verification, never guessed.
- How to use the addendum, and the three biggest differences
- At a glance: every Maryland role and its local equivalent
- Crosswalk: each Maryland reference, its replacement, and where it is amended
- Waiver (or local) employment services: codes, units, rates, limits
- Vocational rehabilitation: becoming a vendor, fees, invoicing, fading
- Provider certification and staffing
- Incident reporting and protection from harm
- Billing, records and retention
- Local law that changes the package: wages, recording, false claims, safety, breach
- State-use purchasing and contract sites
- Volume-by-volume amendments, 0 to 15
- Open items to verify, and the official sources
The addendum is issued with the Adoption License. Ask for it here and the Adoption Office replies within one business day.