The Temporary Disability Income Protection benefit provided to confidential employees is established in 1989 Private & Special Laws, Chapter 86, Part C, Section 5:

Sec. 5.  Provision for temporary disability.  The appointing authority shall provide continued salary benefits to a confidential employee in the event of that employee’s temporary disability in accordance with this section.

Any confidential employee employed by the State in that position for more than 6 months who becomes totally disabled shall receive a benefit payment while the employee remains totally disabled and under the care of a licensed physician if: 

The employee incurs a loss of time from work as a result of the disability, including sickness or accidental bodily injury; and

The disability prevents the employee from performing the duties of that employee’s occupation.

The benefit payment shall commence on the day immediately following exhaustion of the employee’s accumulated sick leave or 30 days of continuous total disability, whichever occurs last.  It shall continue until whichever occurs first:

The day before the day the employee returns to any gainful occupation;

The balance of a 365-day period of continuous disability; or

The first day the employee is eligible for a disability retirement allowance under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 423, subchapter V, article 3.

The benefit payment shall equal 2/3 of the employee’s weekly salary at the date of disablement.  Any state retirement allowance shall be deducted from the benefit payment.  No payment may be made if the employee’s disability is compensable under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 39.

An employee who is provided temporary compensation under this section shall continue to receive the benefits that were provided immediately before the first date of disability.