Maine (WABI) - The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that employers are not entitled to a refund for the first quarter of the Paid Family Medical Leave even if they have chosen to opt out of the program.

In an opinion published Tuesday, the court ruled against Bath Iron Works and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce which brought the lawsuit against the Department of Labor in January.

Employers with their own private plans are allowed to opt out of the program, but the state designated April 1, 2025 as the date on which exemptions begin.

BIW and the Maine Chamber of Commerce argued that employers having to pay a non-refundable sum for the first quarter of the year harmed employers and employees.

The court says in the opinion, the date set by the Department of Labor was reasonable a

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