The tables have turned and it’s a workers’ market
The causes of Maine's labor crisis are more complicated than generous unemployment benefits. Lack of day care, fewer foreign students, fear of COVID and lifestyle changes are transforming the workplace.
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Phil Smith recently took a job at The Dump Guy because he wasn’t getting enough hours at his previous position. He received a hiring bonus and the job includes benefits, all which help because he has three kids. Staff photo by Derek Davis
Murray Perce can sum up the Maine labor market in two words.
“Opportunities abound,” he said, glancing over a gym full of employers gathered at the Boothbay Harbor YMCA for the first in-person job fair hosted by the Maine Department of Labor since early 2019.