Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy Report: Maine’s direct care system is facing a crisis due to poor pay and low staffing Stubbornly low wages have left the direct care workforce in Maine in a “fragile state,” leading to a significant labor shortage that has resulted in fewer available […] Beacon Posted April 27, 2023 Tags Caregiving, Direct Care Work, Economic Security, Economy, Job Quality, Jobs, Wages
Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy Low pay for direct care workers is costing Maine millions, according to report Undervaluing the direct care workforce in Maine is costing the state millions each year, according to a new report from the progressive Maine Center for Economic Policy. […] Maine Public Posted April 27, 2023 Tags Caregiving, Direct Care Work, Economic Security, Economy, Job Quality, Jobs, Wages
Jobs and Income Maine could finally expand overtime pay for thousands of workers James Myall, a policy analyst with the Maine Center for Economic Policy, told lawmakers that the group estimates that about 26,000 additional salaried workers in the for-profit […] Beacon Posted April 26, 2023 Tags Job Quality, Jobs, Overtime
Jobs and Income ‘We’re responsible for the history we make:’ Lawmakers push for migrant labor rights Maine is not the only state where lawmakers are trying to expand rights for farmworkers. Currently, 12 states guarantee collective bargaining rights to such workers. And in […] Beacon Posted April 19, 2023 Tags Economic Security, Immigration, Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs, Wages
Jobs and Income Fight for fair work scheduling returns to Maine Legislature “Say you work at a national retail chain,” Arthur Phillips, a MECEP policy analyst, posed a hypothetical to lawmakers. “Last week, you worked the closing shift on […] Beacon Posted April 10, 2023 Tags Job Quality, Jobs
Jobs and Income Improved scheduling practices give workers more stability Workers are the engines of the economy. Their labor, skills and contributions make the economy run, and it’s time for their hard work to result in livable […] James Myall Posted April 3, 2023 Tags Job Quality, Jobs
Jobs and Income Legislative commission recommends strong, progressive paid family leave program for Maine On February 7, the Commission to Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program issued its final report, concluding more than a year of work examining […] James Myall Posted February 14, 2023 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Family and Medical Leave, Job Quality, Jobs
Jobs and Income Podcast: Will robots take Maine’s jobs and other insights from the author of the State of Working Maine James Myall of the Maine Center for Economic Policy joins Ben Chin to discuss the 2023 State of Working Maine report and the economic environment of the […] Beacon Posted January 8, 2023 Tags Employment, Job Quality, Jobs
Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy Podcast: There’s no crying in Capitalism! This week, the Cate, Esther and Ben dig into election-eve campaign spending and what it may or may not mean, highlight the new “State of Working Maine […] Beacon Posted October 21, 2022 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Job Quality, Jobs
Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy To ensure the stability of Maine’s economy, report suggests Maine should do more to protect workers A new report has revealed that even though Maine recovered quickly from the recession caused by the pandemic, that improvement has obscured “continued fundamental weaknesses that are […] The Star Bulletin Posted October 20, 2022 Tags Economic Security, Economy, Job Quality, Jobs