The COVID-19 Edition for Monday, July 13, 2020

To view this edition of Impact online, click here.

 

 

Welcome to your COVID-19 Impact newsletter!
As a valued member of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, we plan to stay in touch with you several times each week through emails like this one and on Facebook and Twitter, until the pandemic passes. We intend to provide you with the latest state and federal information, as well as highlighting the creativity and innovation that is occuring here in Maine during this unpredictable and rapidly changing time. To assist you in navigating the uncertainties ahead, we have created a diverse and comprehensive collection of web-based resources to help you take care of yourself and your family, your employees, your business, and your community.
Do you have a question? ASK THE EXPERTS.	We are here to help in any way we can!

 

 

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Additional Guidance For Workers And Employers About The Impact of FLSA, FMLA, And FFCRA on The Workplace as America Reopens

Today the U.S. Department of Labor announced additional guidance to provide information to workers and employers about how the requirements and protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) impact the workplace as America continues to reopen from the coronavirus. The new guidance provides plain-language questions and answers addressing critical issues under all three laws.   FMLA-related questions address issues including whether telemedicine visits count as in-person visits with a health care provider and whether the FMLA restricts employers' ability to require workers to get a COVID-19 test before returning to the worksite. FFCRA-related questions address whether employers can require workers to telework or take leave until they test negative for COVID-19 after taking leave to care for someone in quarantine.   FLSA-related questions address issues including how employers must count the number of hours employees work in flexible scheduling and telework situations, whether hazard pay is required for employees working during the COVID-19 pandemic, the effect of employers' reducing salaries for exempt salaried workers during an economic slowdown, and whether salaried exempt employees under Section 13(a)(1) who perform other nonexempt duties during the COVID-19 public health emergency and may continue to be treated as exempt.   Please click on the hyperlinks above to view the new guidance. If you have additional or specific questions regarding this new guidance, please call the U.S. Department of Labor at 1-866-487-9243.

 

Letter to the Editor: Child Care Is Critical

Megan Diver, Senior Government Relations Specialist for the Maine Chamber of Commerce, recently submitted the following Letter to the Editor to the Bangor Daily News. We are reprinting it below for your information.

The Maine Chamber of Commerce completely agrees with Heidi MacAllister-McDonald's recent OpEd highlighting the value of early childhood education and urging increased support for early learning. Two of the lessons learned from our pandemic experience are that child care is an essential underpinning of Maine's economy, and that it should be supported in a way that reflects its economic importance.   We are pleased that Gov. Janet Mills' Economic Recovery Committee is advocating for child care funding as an essential program supporting efforts to restart Maine's economy. The Committee recommends a total of $45 million from the federal CARES Act Economic Relief Fund be spent on child care supports: $20 million for education and care to our youngest children, and $25 million to support children during their out-of-school time.   Research shows us that high-quality early programs are a solid investment in Maine's future workforce. These programs teach our youngest children the cognitive, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed when they start kindergarten, creating the foundation for continued success throughout school. Equally important, early education teachers make it possible for many parents to go to work and know that their children are safe and nurtured.   During the pandemic, we've seen how critical child care is for our essential workers. We now have a greater understanding of and value for the child care industry as a key support for so many of Maine's economic sectors. We hope Maine policymakers endorse the Economic Recovery Committee's recommendations for needed support for this vital industry.

 

 

UMaine Economists Research Economic Fallout From COVID-19 in Maine's Hospitality Industry

Two University of Maine economists predict that earnings for Maine restaurants and lodgings will drop by more than one-third from the previous year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Todd Gabe, a professor of economics, and Andrew Crawley, an assistant professor of regional economic development, conducted a study exploring the economic fallout from the outbreak in the hospitality industry, which includes restaurants, hotels, motels, inns and other lodging establishments. They shared their findings, which rely in part on data from Maine Revenue Services and the Opportunity Insights project, with the trade group HospitalityMaine.   Gabe and Crawley predict that 2020 hospitality sales will reach between $2.5 and $2.8 billion by the end of the year, a 35 to 42 percent drop from last year, when sales were $4.3 billion. The forecast relies on actual data from January to April and estimated earnings for May through December, which are based on a variety of scenarios about how the rest of the year will play out.   Daily consumer spending in hospitality fell 66 percent between January and early April, 50 percent between January and early May and 33 percent between January and early June, according to the report. Hospitality sales gradually rose between April and June, but remain below a typical year, Gabe says.   Maine hospitality sales fell by 35 percent between March 2019 and 2020, and by 63 percent between April 2019 and 2020. One the other hand, sales were up by 12 percent in January and February when compared to last year. Restaurant activity generates about 70 percent of taxable sales in the Maine hospitality industry, Gabe says, and the pandemic affects them and lodging operators in different ways.   Gabe says hospitality creates more than 10 percent of jobs in some counties, and the economic loss as a result of COVID-19 could be significant in those areas. The two UMaine economists plan to update their findings as new data becomes available, with a new report expected to be released in August.

 

Hannaford Donates 7,000 Pounds of Cheese to Good Shepherd Food Bank Through Pineland Farms' Cheese Donation Efforts

Pineland Farms Dairy announced recently that Hannaford Supermarkets joined their cheese donation efforts aimed at addressing hunger relief and helping Maine dairy farmers. Hannaford committed to purchasing $10,000 of Maine milk which will be transformed into 7,000 pounds of cheese by Pineland Farms Dairy and donated to Good Shepherd Food Bank's Mainers Feeding Mainers program. "This is a great example of how local partnerships work together to serve our communities when most in need," said Joe Luca, Director of Deli, Kitchen, and Bakery. "And Hannaford is proud to be a part of it." "We know there is going to be a long term need within the state and again very much appreciate the commitment from the Hannaford team, not just to this project but also the everyday support of locally-made cheese," said Mark Whitney, President and Owner of Pineland Farms Dairy. Good Shepherd Food Bank will distribute the cheeses at 48 sites fixing meals-to-go, 10 shelters and 134 school pantry site serving student and families. "We are beyond ecstatic to receive and give locally-made Pineland Farms Dairy cheese to our network of partner agencies," stated Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank. "Before COVID, approximately 180,000 Mainers relied on our network of more than 500 partners every year and 1 in 5 Maine kids were food insecure. On a normal day, we provided more than 68,000 meals. For our neighbors already facing food insecurity, COVID means the very real danger of lost wages, further difficulty accessing enough food, and an increased reliance on the charitable food network. Add onto that the school closures and job losses, and we know that even more Mainers will be struggling." While Maine no longer has the challenges of an oversupply of milk it had at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, farms continue to struggle with ongoing low prices for milk. The purchase of milk by Hannaford for this donation program provides direct support to struggling Maine farms. "Like others, our farm has struggled up and down throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Pineland Farm Dairy as well as Hannaford have reached deep into their pockets and ability to make things better in the dairy industry and the community," said Julie Hicks of G. E. Hicks Dairy Farm INC. in Corinth. "To me that's an honor and a blessing to know that there are companies out there that cares as much as they do about the farms in Maine, to try to keep them staying strong and keep on going on." In early June, Pineland Farms fulfilled their pledge of 25,000 pounds of cheese to Good Shepherd Food Bank, in partnership with Libra Foundation and Dairy Farmers of America.

 

Thursday, July 23 | The Bottom Line Podcast
with Carl Carlson and Steve Cox, owners of ServiceMaster of the Lakes Region
	Carl Carlson and Steve Cox, owners of ServiceMaster of the Lakes Region, will be this week's special guest on The Bottom Line podcast. They join The Bottom Line co-host John Williams of Williams Broadcasting to discuss the challenges of owning and sustaining a small business during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, while also providing essential services to homes and businesses throughout their area of coverage, while trying to maintain a functioning workforce.   To listen live, please visit Williams Broadcasting and scroll down to "Listen Online" at the bottom of the homepage. To listen to the archived recordings, please visit The Bottom Line page on the Maine State Chamber's website. In addition, The Bottom Line podcast can be heard on iTunes, iHeart Radio, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, Spotify and radio.com.

 

Senators Collins, King Announce $450,000 to Expand Maine Apprenticeship Programs

U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Labor's Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) has received a total of $450,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The competitive funding was awarded to Maine to serve, improve, and expand the RAP model by broadening registered apprenticeships to include health care, mental health care, addiction treatment, and alternative pain management occupations.   "We have long supported efforts to help Maine workers receive the training and resources they need to successfully compete in the global economy, especially amid heightened job insecurity created by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. "This important investment will improve the accessibility and affordability of apprenticeships, allowing more Mainers to take advantage of these programs to gain in-demand skills and obtain good-paying jobs."

 

King Renews Push For Easing Tariff Impact on Lobster Industry

An article in Mainebiz reported today that, noting that the ongoing pandemic and China's retaliatory tariffs have left the lobster industry in a "fragile economic state," U.S. Sen. Angus King reminded the federal government of a commitment to provide support for lobstermen affected by the tariffs as promised in a presidential memorandum. The June 24 memorandum calls on the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide the lobster industry with the same form of financial assistance that has already been extended to farmers as a result of the ongoing trade war.   King also noted that Maine lobstermen are small business owners who support working waterfronts and the livelihoods of 10,000 other people in Maine, and that they deserve the same level of support the USDA offered to farmers affected by the retaliatory tariffs in 2018 and 2018.

 

Pingree Introduces Legislation to Bolster Local Creative Economies, Create Skilled Jobs Nationwide

Late last week, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree introduced the Promoting Local Arts and Creative Economy (PLACE) Workforce Act to invest in local economies across the country. The bill will bolster the creative economy and empower workers to find sustainable jobs in creative and cultural industries. The PLACE Act creates local opportunity for the creative economy by: * Amending definitions to include the creative economy in state and local workforce plans, Native American Programs, Dislocated Worker Grants, Recovering Individual programs, Corrections Education, Career and Technical Education, Work Study, Economic Adjustment, prisoner training programs, and Veterans affairs programs under Title 38; * Providing technical assistance offered by small business development centers in order to foster strong business plans and the execution of those plans; * Authorizing Creative Economy Grants which incubate small business in their "startup" phase by allowing for wage subsidies; * Authorizing Creative Economy Apprenticeship Grants under the Department of Education to helping teach the future creative economy workforce; * Updating tax codes regarding deductions for artists' works and the performing artists tax credit; * Including creative economy businesses in the existing New Market Tax Credit; and, * Allowing those participating in the creative economy the same FEMA disaster benefits as other businesses.

 

Use the Maine State Chamber's Blog and Daily Impact to Tell Your Story!

Numerous Maine companies are stepping up or pivoting nimbly, as Maine people resourcefully address the challenges of this pandemic. Share your perspective and experience with us and with the rest of the business community. How are you facing and overcoming the challenges posed by this pandemic? What are you and your employees doing in this dramatically different economy? Tell us about the innovations your company or employees are making or ways you have adapted your company to meet your customers' needs.   Each blog entry should be 300 to 500 words. Join us in creating a written history of the business community's resilience and innovation during this extraordinary time. Please submit your entries to blog@mainechamber.org. For more information or questions, please contact Mark Ellis by emailing mellis@mainechamber.org or by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 109.

 

Providing Books to Maine Students

Maine educators were recently surveyed about critical needs of their students. Books were highlighted as a top priority for students of all ages. Supporting reading is essential for students to continue to thrive in schools. Making certain that our students, particularly our youngest readers, have easy access to books during the end of the school year and throughout the summer is crucial for preventing summer slide.   Even with yeoman-like efforts by Maine teachers and a hands-on approach from the Maine Department of Education to ensure all Maine students have been able to continue learning remotely during the pandemic, we know that learning over these past few months has inevitably been disrupted. In addition to the school year disruption, student achievement often widens during the summer, an outcome referred to as summer slide. Summer slide accounts for as much as 85 percent of the reading achievement gap between lower income students and their middle- and upper-income peers. Providing students with appropriate books will help address this challenge. Not only does summer reading enable students to continue practicing foundational skills, but it opens the world to students through stories and knowledge building around topics of interest. We need your help to ensure students across our 16 counties have access to books, an essential commodity.   Here are a few ways you can support Maine students:   1 2020 Maine Books Challenge: Educate Maine is leading this initiative to provide students with books while supporting local bookstores. You can purchase an online or physical gift card at one of Maine's independent bookstores. Every $10 donation provides a book for a Maine student. Every donation will be matched by the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein up to $5,000. Teachers across Maine will help coordinate book distribution to students. If interested in supporting this effort, please email Katherine at katherine@educatemaine.org.   2 Scholastic Books: This company has offered significant discounts to help get books to Maine students. For example, a $1,000 donation can support 300 books for 100 students. A $5,000 donation can support 1,500 books for 500 students. If interested in supporting this effort, please email Megan Diver at mdiver@mainechamber.org.   3 Community Book Donations: Gently used books are also needed across Maine. We are seeking community drop off spots at local employers throughout the 16 counties. If your business is interested in becoming a location for books to be collected, please email Megan Diver at mdiver@mainechamber.org.   Books will be distributed to students directly through their schools and at local meal sites throughout the summer. Additional information about summer literacy initiatives can be found here. Thank you for supporting Maine students.

 

 

To advertise in the COVID-19 Impact, please contact Melody Rousseau by emailing melodyr@mainechamber.org, or by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 102.
		Thank you for doing your part!

 

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