Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy Rising inflation is likely temporary — and the Build Back Better bill will help curb it Over the past several months, inflation has risen relatively quickly, particularly in contrast to the past decade of exceptionally small price increases. This has led to misplaced […] James Myall Posted November 16, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Economy, Employment, Job Quality, Jobs, Unions, Wages
Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy REPORT: State of Working Maine 2021 Download the PDF version FULL REPORT SUMMARY Introduction The experiences of frontline workers during the pandemic offer lessons beyond the public health threat. They point to a […] James Myall Posted November 3, 2021
Jobs and Income Latest data shows up to 95,000 Mainers risk losing unemployment benefits this week As noted by Maine Center for Economic Policy in a previous article, September 4 marks the end of new federal Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs enacted by Congress […] James Myall Posted September 6, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Federal, Unemployment, Wages
Jobs and Income Progress for Maine Workers in the first part of the 130th Legislature After a particularly difficult year for Maine workers — during which many people labored under intense pressure and the looming threat of the COVID-19 pandemic — the […] James Myall Posted September 1, 2021 Tags Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Overtime, Paid Sick Days, Wages
Jobs and Income Nearly 86,000 Mainers at risk of losing unemployment benefits in less than a month Unless Congress acts quickly, the expiration of temporary federal expansions to the Unemployment Insurance (UI) system will push almost 86,000 Mainers off an economic cliff in early […] James Myall Posted August 4, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Federal, Unemployment, Wages
Jobs and Income Governor Mills has chance to transform protections for Maine workers On Wednesday, the Maine legislature passed LD 1711, “An Act To Enhance Enforcement of Employment Laws.” Now heading to the Governor’s desk for her signature, the bill would allow private […] James Myall Posted July 8, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Inequality, Job Quality, Wages
Jobs and Income Maine’s Worker shortage has deep roots As the COVID-19 pandemic recedes in Maine, business-owners have begun to raise a new economic concern as they report difficulty hiring workers to fill vacancies. These concerns […] James Myall Posted June 10, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Employment, Job Quality, Jobs, Unemployment
Jobs and Income Lawmakers must reject plan to give corporations free pass to put workers and customer at risk The Legislature today is considering a bill — LD 1403, “An Act to Protect Maine Businesses, Nonprofits, Educational Institutions and Municipalities during the COVID-19 Pandemic” — that […] James Myall Posted May 13, 2021 Tags Coronavirus, Health Care, Jobs
Jobs and Income Bill to update definition of “tipped worker” would prevent low-wage trap for service workers Public laws regarding tipped workers are designed to ensure that workers who receive a substantial portion of their income through tips are given the same worker protections […] James Myall Posted May 4, 2021 Tags Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Wages
Health Care Dental care is health care. MaineCare should cover it. Our mouths are part of our bodies, so dental care is heath care. But a limited view of what counts as health care is leaving Mainers with […] James Myall Posted April 26, 2021 Tags Economic Security, Health Care, Inequality, Medicaid, Medicare, Poverty