Maine Voices: Essential workers have earned the hazard pay Portland voters approved We are proud to be keeping local people fed and healthy, but we shouldn’t have to bear the burden of the pandemic. By Caleb HortonSpecial to the Press Herald Share I spend many nights a week working in close contact with hundreds of people. Officially, my store limits the number of customers, but everyone can see that this is regularly exceeded. I run into shoppers traveling from other states and those who pull their mask down to talk. Even lunch is no respite. Employees pack into the break rooms to unmask and eat, because with sub-zero temperatures outside, there’s no safe place to eat.