Maine Department of Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman joins us to discuss pressing topics ranging from paid time off, minimum wage, workforce shortage, equal pay, immigrant employment, and more. In her role, she oversees the state’s labor standards, employment and training, unemployment insurance, labor market information and vocational rehabilitation. Fortman brings more than 20 years of public policy and advocacy experience to the Department of Labor.
Guests
Laura Fortman led the Dept. of Labor under Governor John Baldacci from 2003 to 20011. Fortman also served as Deputy Administrator for the Wage and Hour Division at the U.S. Department of Labor from 2013 to 2017, where she was responsible for enforcing our nation’s most fundamental labor standards, including requirements for minimum wage, payment of overtime, prohibitions on child labor, the right to take leave under the Family Medical Leave Act, worker protections in immigration-related programs, such as our H-visa programs, and government contracting programs.
Pat Pinto, AARP Maine’s Volunteer State President
Resources
- Maine Calling - Workforce Shortages: Why Are Maine Businesses in Need of Workers, and What Can Be Done?
- Hire a Vet
- BIW Needs Employees
- Maine Wire - The minimum wage myth that persists
- BDN Op-Ed: Maine’s minimum wage is working. Lawmakers shouldn’t weaken it.
- Maine Becomes First State to Require Paid Leave for Any Reason
- The Maine Equal Pay Law
- CNN:The robots are coming for your job, too
- New Mainers in the workforce
- Maine Department of Labor: Hiring Foreign Workers
- PPH Commentary: low wages & why the economy isn’t as good as it looks
- A Maine Temp Agency That Gives Ex-Inmates a Job, and a Ride to Work