Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy REPORT: Cuts to Pandemic Unemployment Compensation would harm 182,000 Mainers The COVID-19 relief plan released by US Senate Republicans on July 27 would slash Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) by $400 per week, affecting approximately 182,000 Mainers […] James Myall Posted July 28, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Incomes, Unemployment
Jobs and Income As safety net disappears, out-of-work Mainers plead for more help Some workers collecting jobless benefits are genuinely waiting to be recalled to their old jobs, Myall said. Others may have a hard time finding adequate childcare or […] Portland Press Herald Posted July 27, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Unemployment
Jobs and Income What’s at stake for Maine as $600 unemployment bonus winds down If that federal money were stopped, it would mean less money spent in grocery stores or getting takeout or more people not being able to afford rent. […] Bangor Daily News Posted July 22, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Unemployment
Maine’s Economy 86,000 Mainers face steep income losses if Congress doesn’t extend pandemic unemployment benefits The economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic is unprecedented in our lifetimes. The urgent public health requirement that Mainers stay home as much as possible has […] James Myall Posted July 16, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Incomes, Unemployment
Maine’s Economy Maine workers, labor groups warn of widespread suffering unless federal jobless aid is extended Cutting aid while the country is still in a crisis could have devastating effects on the local economy, too. Maine’s unemployment rate was 9 percent in May, […] Portland Press Herald Posted July 10, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Federal, Unemployment
Maine’s Economy Tracking the economic impact of COVID-19 in Maine MECEP is monitoring several short-term indicators to track the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Maine’s economy. Sources for each indicator can be seen in the descriptions below. Indicator 1: COVID-19 cases in Maine […] James Myall Posted July 9, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Economic Security, Economy, Food Insecurity, Health Care, Housing, Medicaid, Unemployment
Jobs and Income Analysis worries many Maine layoffs could become permanent The effects of the COVID-19 financial downturn have wiped out as many as one in six jobs in Maine, according to the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), and […] The Center Square Posted June 16, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Jobs, Unemployment
Maine’s Economy While signs of improvement appear, Maine unemployment remains at unprecedented levels While the latest data on Maine unemployment claims show some reason for hope, Maine’s unemployment levels remain at unprecedented levels three months after the coronavirus pandemic sent […] James Myall Posted June 12, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Unemployment
Health Care, Maine’s Economy Job losses bring additional crisis for laid-off workers: loss of health coverage Between 72,000 and 131,000 Mainers could lose their employer-sponsored health insurance as a result of widespread layoffs spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, with as many as 31,000 […] James Myall Posted May 29, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Unemployment
Maine’s Economy Pandemic has erased one in six Maine jobs since February Maine lost nearly 106,000 jobs1 in the two months leading up to April 12 as Maine businesses laid off workers across the state because of the ongoing public […] James Myall Posted May 22, 2020 Tags Coronavirus, Unemployment