Maine unemployment claims hit new record of nearly 24,000 last week

The present recession is unique because it was triggered by measures intended to limit virus transmission and prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed, [MECEP policy analyst Sarah] Austin said.

“All of these are really big economic numbers that are shocking and have a huge impact on people’s income,” she said. “They can’t be viewed outside of the reality that we are in a public health emergency. We can’t ask policymakers to look at this as an ordinary recession.”

Click here to read the full story, published April 2 in the Lewiston Sun Journal.