A labor department official says the figures speak to a tight labor market in which employers are trying to increase their staffing levels.
maine department of labor
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Unemployment in Maine ticking back up after summer low
After falling from pandemic highs to a low of 2.8% in July, the jobless rate crept upward slightly in September.
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Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Laura Fortman: A lot done by the Department of Labor – and a lot more to do
Maine’s unemployment rate is at a near-record low and we have more new business applications than ever before. When it comes to equal pay, however, there’s ground to make up.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Where have all the workers gone? And when will they return?
Short answer: Most of them won’t. The past two years have upended the job market and created a vast labor shortage. It won’t improve anytime soon.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Federal judge approves plan to reimburse Maine inmates who lost unemployment benefits
The state will return more than $163,000 in seized unemployment benefits to 54 people who were incarcerated in Maine in 2020 and barred from the state’s work-release program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, Morning Sentinel, News
Seasonal businesses in central Maine struggle to find workers as economic conditions improve
The national economy is humming and companies are ramping up hiring, but seasonal businesses in central Maine continue to struggle to find enough help as they prepare for the busy summer months.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Thousands of Mainers told to repay pandemic-related jobless benefits
The state is attempting to recoup $46 million from 11,000 Mainers it says failed to retroactively prove their eligibility for a federal aid program.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Maine’s economy edged closer to pre-pandemic employment in February
The state gained 3,200 jobs last month, largely in healthcare and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, and construction.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Maine to launch ‘peer navigator’ program for job seekers
The Department of Labor will contract with five nonprofits to connect residents with training, education, employment and other resources.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Mills administration cracking down on employer wage and hour violations
The state Department of Labor returned about $470,000 in unpaid wages to Maine workers in 2021, almost double the amount in 2019. Now it is naming violators online.