Posted inOur View

A free ride might fill job market

The Maine CareerCenter held a job fair Monday morning. The event was held at its office on Mollison Way in Lewiston where more than 30 employers — all of whom are hiring — were available to talk to job seekers. This was, in simple terms, a recruitment effort by Carbonite, Cianbro, Fastenal, FedEx, Geiger Bros., […]

Posted inNation / World, sj-web

Fed seeking to create wealth, not just cut rates

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve wasn’t just trying to drive interest rates lower when it announced a third round of bond purchases Thursday. It also wants to make Americans feel wealthier — and more willing to spend. The idea is for the Fed’s $40 billion-a-month in bond purchases to drive down interest rates and […]

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Posted inOxford Hills, sj-web

Slight decrease in Oxford Hills unemployment rate

OXFORD HILLS — The state-wide unemployment rate has remained relatively flat over the past year, even as Oxford Hills has witnessed a slight decrease in unemployment.  The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that statewide, the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in July was 7.6 percent –  exactly the same as July 2011. The […]

Posted inNation / World, sj-web

Gloomy jobs report shadows race with 60 days left

Employers added just 96,000 jobs in August, not nearly enough to seriously dent unemployment, let alone inspire confidence that the economy is getting better. Even the good news — the unemployment rate dropped from 8.3 percent to 8.1 percent — resulted from many job-hunters just giving up. “We’re going in the wrong direction,” Romney declared, […]

Posted inBusiness

CareerCenter workshops listed

LEWISTON — The Lewiston CareerCenter, 5 Mollison Way, announces September workshops of note, in addition to its regular programming: Sept. 6 from 9 a.m.- noon: “HR Experts” — a group of four human resource professionals will talk about resumes, applications, cover letters, interviews and the job search process from an HR perspective. Sept. 11 from […]

Posted inBusiness, New England, sj-web

Lawmakers to seek $100M fishermen relief package

BOSTON (AP) — New England lawmakers are preparing to ask Congress for $100 million in disaster relief funds for fishermen, including money to help them exit the industry if they wish and subsidies for those who stay in. The proposal is outlined in a draft letter to congressional leaders from Sen. John Kerry that’s being […]

Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web

Maine lost 10,000 jobs to China

PORTLAND – Maine has lost 10,000 jobs since 2001 because of U.S. trade with China, according to a study released this week by a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. Since 2001, the year China joined the World Trade Organization, “the extraordinary growth of trade between China and the United States has had a dramatic effect on […]

Posted inNews, sj-web

Maine’s unemployment figures better than national rate for July

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s unemployment rate in July was 7.6 percent, slightly higher than June, but unchanged from the same month last year, according to preliminary estimates released today by the Maine Department of Labor. Maine continues to have lower unemployment rates, higher rates of labor force participation and a higher share of population that […]

Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, River Valley, The Franklin Journal

3-state grant to help spur job creation, economic growth in Western Maine

PORTLAND — A new three-year project to grow jobs and rural economies in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont through investment and knowledge sharing, got a $708,750 boost last week. The Northern Tier Farm and Forest Jobs Accelerator project is a collaborative effort by the Northern Forest Center, Northern Community Investment Corp., White Mountains Community College, […]

Posted inMaine

Maine won’t try pilot jobs program

AUGUSTA — Congress took an unprecedented step earlier this year by authorizing a pilot program allowing use of unemployment benefits to subsidize the creation of full-time jobs, but it’s unlikely Maine employers will be able to participate in the program. “No doubt it might very well put people back to work,” said Maine Labor Commissioner […]