AUGUSTA — Republican Gov. Paul LePage says the elimination of 300 jobs at a Verso paper mill in Jay underscores the need to reduce the state’s taxes and energy costs. Verso Paper Corp. said Thursday that it will significantly scale back production in Maine and lay off 300 workers at its mill in Jay. The […]
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U.S. unemployment rate drops to 5.3 percent in June
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added a solid 223,000 jobs in June, and the unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent, a seven-year low. But wages failed to budge, and other barometers of the job market paint a mixed picture. The unemployment rate fell from 5.5 percent in May, the Labor Department said Thursday. But the rate […]
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Maine unemployment rate unchanged in May
AUGUSTA — Maine’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May was unchanged from the previous month. State labor officials say the unemployment rate was 4.7 percent last month. The rate was down from 5.7 percent a year ago and the number of unemployed declined 7,800 over the year to 32,200. The state’s ratio of employment […]
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Maine unemployment rate drops to 4.7 percent in April
PORTLAND — Maine’s unemployment fell to its lowest point in nearly eight years with a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.7 percent in April. State labor officials say the April rate is a drop of 0.1 percentage points from March 1.1 points from a year ago. They also say the number of unemployed people fell 8,300 […]
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Maine unemployment rate hits lowest mark in 7 years
PORTLAND — The unemployment rate in Maine fell to its lowest point in more than seven years in March. The preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 5 percent in February to 4.8 percent in March. It was 5.8 percent a year ago. The state Department of Labor says Maine’s number of unemployed declined 7,800 […]
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Bill would prevent employers from checking job seekers’ credit histories
AUGUSTA — Many Maine employers would be prohibited from considering an applicant’s credit history when making hiring decisions, under a bill that lawmakers will begin examining this week. Rep. Scott Hamann, whose proposal will be examined by a legislative committee Wednesday, says credit checks often creates a “catch-22” because it prevents people who’ve struggled financially […]
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U.S. economy adds 126,000 jobs in March
WASHINGTON — The weakening U.S. economy spilled into the job market in March as employers added only 126,000 jobs — the fewest since December 2013 — snapping a streak of 12 straight months of gains above 200,000. The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate remained at 5.5 percent. Friday’s jobs report raised uncertainties […]
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Maine’s unemployment rate drops in February
AUGUSTA — Officials say Maine’s unemployment rate ticked down to 5 percent last month. The Maine Department of Labor said Friday that the state’s jobless rate declined slightly from 5.2 percent in January and 5.9 percent a year ago. The number of residents who were unemployed was down by more than 7,000 over the year […]
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Maine unemployment rate drops to 5.2 percent
PORTLAND — Maine labor officials say the state’s unemployment rate declined to 5.2 percent in January. State Labor Commissioner Jeanne Paquette released preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment figures for January that show the figure fell from 5.5 percent in December and 6 percent a year ago. The commissioner also says the number of unemployed fell 6,400 […]
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U.S. economy adds 295,000 jobs in February
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers extended a healthy streak of hiring in February by adding 295,000 jobs, the 12th straight monthly gain above 200,000. It was the latest sign that the U.S. economy is further strengthening and outpacing other major economies around the world. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 5.5 percent from 5.7 percent, the […]