unemployment claims

Maine GOP Lawmakers Renew Call For Special Session

By • Jun 25, 2020
Robert F. Bukaty / AP File

A half-dozen Republican members of the Maine House of Representatives are calling for a special session of the legislature to deal with spending and other issues related to the pandemic.

Thousands Of Mainers Still Haven't Received Their Unemployment Benefits

By • Jun 24, 2020
Robert F. Bukaty / AP File

Unemployment benefits have been a lifeline for many people who have lost work because of the pandemic. But the huge federal expansion of the unemployment insurance program under the CARES Act has required states to handle massive increases in applications for both regular unemployment and for new benefits offered to workers who had never before qualified.

Dept. Of Labor Deputy Commissioner On How The State Is Handling Fraudulent Unemployment Claims

By • Jun 21, 2020
Rebecca Conley / Maine Public File

Thousands of Mainers have reported problems in trying to obtain unemployment. Thousands of other Mainers have had unemployment claims fraudulently filed without their knowledge since late May. The pandemic caused a sudden spike not just in real claims, but in fraud as well.

Maine Public's Jennifer Mitchell talked about these issues with Kim Smith, the deputy commissioner for the Maine Department of Labor.

Mills Signs Order To Transfer $270 M To State Unemployment Trust Fund

By • Jun 19, 2020
Robert F. Bukaty / AP File

Gov. Janet Mills has signed an order shifting up to $270 million in federal CARES act money to bolster the state unemployment trust fund. The move assures that benefits paid through the state unemployment system will continue without having to borrow from the federal government.

Thousands More Mainers Filed For Unemployment Last Week

By • Jun 18, 2020

Nearly 3,000 more Mainers filed first-time claims for unemployment in the week ending June 13, according to Maine’s Labor Department.

State Could Face Half Billion Dollar Revenue Shortfall

By • May 29, 2020

Maine’s top financial officials say state revenues are doing better than expected overall, but warn that the loss of revenue is still significant and will pose some serious policy questions for the Governor and the legislature.

Maine Dept. Of Labor Reports Surge In False Unemployment Claims

By • May 27, 2020
Caitlin Troutman / Maine Public

The Maine Department of Labor has identified and cancelled some 2,200 unemployment claims determined to be fraudulent. 

Staffing Service Looks To Fill Manufacturing Jobs In Southern Maine

By • May 25, 2020

An effort to fill 1000 production and manufacturing jobs in Southern Maine continues amid a time of record unemployment —10.6 percent in the month of April.

Steady Stream Of State Unemployment Claims Continue

By • May 21, 2020

Roughly 11,500 Mainers made their first-time claims for unemployment benefits from state and federal assistance programs last week.

National Staffing Agency Looking To Hire 1000 People In Southern Maine

By • May 8, 2020

A national staffing agency with an office in Scarborough is looking to hire 1,000 people to work on diagnostic test kit production as the state's jobless numbers from the pandemic continue to rise.

Maine Labor Commissioner Peppered With Questions By Lawmakers

By • May 6, 2020
Nick Woodward / Maine Public

Members of the Maine legislature’s Labor and Housing Committee met in person and electronically with Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman Wednesday afternoon in an unusual hearing on the state's response to the surge in unemployment applications. Committee members had dozens of questions about the problems with providing benefits to tens of thousands of Mainers who've lost work as a result of the pandemic.

Pandemic Highlights Deficiencies In Maine's Unemployment Application Process

By • Apr 30, 2020
via Tammie Stone

More than 100,000 Mainers have filed for unemployment since March. That's just one of the many wide-ranging economic effects of COVID-19. The claims have overwhelmed the Department Of Labor in Maine. And while the state has been able to get benefits to more than 70,000 people so far, many are still waiting.

Assistance Program For Self-Employed Mainers Starts Friday Morning

By • Apr 30, 2020

Self-employed and contract workers in Maine will be able to apply for unemployment starting Friday morning at 8 AM, as the state rolls out its anticipated Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Another 7,400 Mainers File For Unemployment Benefits, As Claims Mount

By • Apr 30, 2020
Robert F. Bukaty / Associated Press

Updated April 30, 2020 at 2:31 p.m. ET.

More than 7,400 Mainers filed last week for unemployment benefits.  That's according to new figures released Thursday by Maine's Department of Labor.

Maine Expediting Unemployment Claims; Will Have Plan For Self-Employed Workers Next Week

By • Apr 24, 2020

Almost 20 thousand Mainers seeking unemployment benefits will soon receive expedited approvals- and denials- in the mail. Additionally, Maine Department of Labor Commissioner, Laura Fortman, says that next week the state will unveil its plan for self-employed and contract workers seeking unemployment because of COVID-19.

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