AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s Democratic-led House has rejected a bill to change the work permit process for minors and allow children less than 16 years old to work in bowling alleys or movie theatres. Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration said teens often have to wait a long time to get work permits over the summer. […]
department of labor
Posted inMaine
Parties clash over unemployment report
AUGUSTA — Sparks flew Friday as state lawmakers engaged in a brief but rancorous political discussion of a federal report that charged Gov. Paul LePage with interfering in the unemployment compensation appeals process last year. Debate over the report, delivered by the U.S. Labor Department a day earlier, split along party lines in what otherwise […]
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Posted inOur View
Our View: No place for politics in appeals process
Last April, when allegations that Gov. Paul LePage had injected himself into Maine’s unemployment compensation appeal process surfaced, LePage’s office called the allegations politically motivated attacks meant to distract the public from more important issues. It was, as we said at the time, a predictable shift-the-blame response from his spokespeople. Thursday, after the U.S. Department […]
Posted inBusiness, Maine
Feds warn Maine DOL that LePage administration interfered in hearing process
Read the U.S. Department of Labor investigation report An April 11, 2013, Sun Journal investigative report cited sources who said Gov. Paul LePage had summoned Labor Department employees to a mandatory luncheon at the Blaine House on March 21 and scolded them for finding too many unemployment-benefit appeals cases in favor of workers. They were […]
Posted inMaine
New state unemployment appeals chief says she will aim for consistency
AUGUSTA — Nearly a year after Gov. Paul LePage reportedly berated administrative hearing officers at the Maine Department of Labor, the agency has hired a new chief to supervise those hearing officers. For years, it was Elizabeth Wyman’s job to defend in court the decisions of the M DOL on appeals of unemployment claims. Wyman, […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Maine unemployment rate drops to 6.2 percent
AUGUSTA — Maine’s unemployment rate dropped again in December to its lowest rate in five years. The Maine Department of Labor said Tuesday that Maine’s unemployment rate for December was 6.2 percent, down 1 percent from the same period a year ago. It’s also lower than the November jobless rate of 6.4 percent. Maine continues […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Computer problem resolved; unemployment payments on the way
AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Labor says it’s resolved the computer system problem that caused a delay in issuing unemployment benefits to 2,200 people in the state. The problem halted processing of unemployment checks, direct deposits, and other notifications Tuesday and Wednesday. Claimants who filed over the weekend or during the day Monday should […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Computer glitch delays unemployment checks to 2,200 Mainers
AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Labor says there’s been a delay in issuing unemployment benefits to 2,200 Maine workers, due to a problem with the computer system that processes the payments. The problem halted processing of unemployment checks, direct deposits, and other notifications Tuesday and Wednesday. Claimants who filed over the weekend or during […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Fed’s investigation into claims of LePage’s labor interference due in January
AUGUSTA — Members of a state commission that studied problems with the Maine unemployment claims and appeals process said Thursday that a federal investigation into claims that Gov. Paul LePage pressured unemployment appeals hearing officers to be more “pro-business” is expected to wrap up next month. Former Maine Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Daniel Wathen […]
Posted inMaine
Governor’s blue ribbon commission reports no bias in unemployment claims process
LEWISTON — A panel created this past spring by Gov. Paul LePage made public its recommendations Tuesday, reporting that it found “no direct or intentional bias” against employees nor employers who participate in the unemployment claims and appeals process. LePage said the report confirmed his concerns; critics called it a rebuke. LePage tasked the Unemployment […]