A historic wave of unemployment claims and a flood of fraudulent filings conspired with technology problems and staffing woes to create delays and headaches for people seeking benefits.
coronavirus
Posted inBusiness, Maine, News
Unemployment snafus leave three lives in limbo
Three personal tales reveal serious flaws in Maine’s system for filing and paying claims.
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Posted inMaine, News
‘Full speed ahead’ for Maine’s first election during pandemic
State and local officials say they feel confident Tuesday’s elections will go smoothly, despite a record number of primary voters having filed absentee ballots.
Posted inMaine
Central Maine family struggles getting COVID testing after returning from Democratic Republic of Congo
Maureen Davis of Skowhegan tried contacting Gov. Janet Mills and Sen. Angus King about the policy in place requiring people to be tested, and the reality that nobody seems to be able to get a test and there is a significant lack of coordination.
Posted inBusiness, Franklin, Maine, Oxford Hills
A digitally divided Maine leaves tens of thousands offline
At least 83,000 Maine households lack the broadband internet experts say is necessary for economic success.
Posted inBusiness, Health, Nation / World
COVID-19 heroes must jump through hoops for workers’ comp
In nearly all states, they have to prove they got the virus on the job to qualify for benefits.
Posted inHealth, Nation / World
Pandemic, racism compound worries about Black suicide rate
Health experts have warned of a looming mental health crisis – but doctors and researchers say the issues reverberate deeper among Black people.
Posted inHealth, Nation / World
U.S. coronavirus deaths take a long-expected turn for the worse
Researchers expect deaths to rise for at least some weeks, but some say the count probably will not go up as dramatically as it did in the spring.
Posted inMaine, News
Westbrook pizza shop closes after worker tests positive for COVID-19
Corsetti’s is the latest restaurant in the Portland area to close temporarily for disinfection and testing after employees were diagnosed with the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Posted inNation / World
Widow condemns ‘barbaric’ death of driver beaten over masks
The wife of a French bus driver calls for ‘exemplary punishment’ for the perpetrators of the July 5 attack.