Even as the number of Mainers seeking continued weekly jobless aid falls, thousands more people are filing new claims for benefits.
workforce
Maine’s continuing weekly jobless claims fall by nearly 10,000
Weekly certifications for both state and federal benefits declined sharply last week, to 56,700, after totaling roughly 66,000 the previous week.
Maine finalizes rules for mandatory paid leave law
The law, effective Jan. 1, will allow workers at companies with at least 10 employees to earn as much as 40 hours of paid time off per year.
Maine implements $300-per-week federal jobless payments
The enhanced unemployment benefit will be paid retroactively to the week ending Aug. 1 for eligible claimants, but funding will run out this month.
Maine jobless claims remain virtually unchanged
Roughly 66,000 Mainers filed for unemployment benefits in the first week of September, a slight decline from the 67,500 who filed the previous week.
Maine unemployment claims increase slightly as layoffs continue
The number of initial and continued claims appears to be be leveling off after declining sharply from a peak this spring.
Maine jobless claims trend downward as layoffs continue
The number of weekly unemployment claims last week fell to their lowest point since mid-March, but more than 1,000 Mainers filed new claims for jobless aid.
New jobless aid to have limited benefits as more Mainers slip into poverty
Struggling Mainers have turned to state assistance to make ends meet since enhanced unemployment benefits expired at the end of July.
Unemployed Mainers now can receive benefits for as long as a year
The state is invoking an emergency extension that, combined with an earlier federal extension, prolongs eligibility to 52 weeks.
When will Maine office workers go back? For some, maybe never
Many Maine companies are extending remote work policies at least through the end of the year, and most office workers are happy about it.