Grants funded through the American Rescue Plan will help child care providers increase pay for workers and cover COVID-19-related costs On Monday, September 27, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced that it will distribute $73 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to Maine child care providers to help them increase pay for staff and cover costs related to COVID-19, further supporting Maine families’ access to safe, affordable, and high-quality child care.
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As Election Day nears on November 2, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is reminding all Maine voters of a non-partisan resource that can help them make informed decisions at the polls: the 2021 Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/pdf/11-21citizensguide.pdf.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Manufacturing Institute (MI) have set aside the first Friday in October to commemorate National Manufacturing Day. Since 2012, the “Creators Wanted” initiative has showcased modern manufacturing to the next generation, working to fill the skills gap and inspire the future workforce.
Pursuant to Maine law (Maine statute 26 MRS §664), effective January 1, 2022, the state minimum wage will increase from $12.15 to $12.75 per hour, based on data recently made available by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Maine law requires annual adjustments to the minimum wage based on the cost-of-living index (CPI-W) for the Northeast Region.
Following Maine Apportionment Commission’s successful agreement, Legislature decides the district’s make-up, instead of leaving it to courts On Wed., September 29, the Maine Legislature voted to approve new County Commission districts, two new congressional districts, 35 state Senate and 151 state House of Representative districts. The required two-thirds’ approval of the legislature comes after the recommendations of the Maine Apportionment Commission, which has been at work during the past 45 days redrawing the new statewide maps.
Per State Law, Maine’s Minimum Wage to Increase to $12.75 Per Hour in 2022
Pursuant to Maine law (Maine statute 26 MRS §664), effective January 1, 2022, the state minimum wage will increase from $12.15 to $12.75 per hour, based on data recently made available by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Maine law requires annual adjustments to the minimum wage based on the cost of living index (CPI-W) for the Northeast Region.
In addition to the minimum wage, the new “tip wage,” or service employee minimum wage, in 2022 will be $6.38 per hour. This means that service employees must receive at least a direct cash wage of $6.38 per hour from the employer. The employer must be able to show that the employee receives at least the minimum wage of $12.75 per hour when the direct wage and tips are combined at the end of the week. More information on the service employee minimum wage can be found here, Minimum Wage and Overtime. The minimum salary threshold for exempting a worker from overtime pay is also based on the minimum wage. Starting January 1, 2022, the new minimum salary threshold is $735.59 per week, or $38,251 per year. This is only one of the factors used in determining whether a worker is exempt from overtime pay under federal or state law. An individual can earn more than the minimum salary threshold and still be eligible for overtime. The duties of each worker must be considered as part of this analysis. The law can be found here. More information can be found here: https://www.maine.gov/labor/labor_laws/wagehour.html The Department’s Bureau of Labor Standards is responsible for enforcing the state’s minimum wage and overtime statutes and ensuring that both workers and employers understand and comply with the law. If you’re a worker who feels that your rights have been violated, or an employer who has questions or would like to know more about the Department’s free trainings, please call 207-623-7900, email mdol@maine.gov, or visit https://www.maine.gov/labor/bls/index.shtml. |
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