The MaineLinks Newsletter

The MaineLinks Weeks of January 16 and 23, 2022

What to Know!

There are some Labor Law changes that occurred in 2023.  Make sure as an employee or an employer that you are aware of the changes.  The minimum wage in Maine has increased to $13.80 per hour.  The new “tip wage”  for service employees is $6.90 per hour.  The new salary threshold is $796.17 per week or $41,401 per year.  For employers with more than 10 employees. All unused paid vacation time that had accrued must be paid to the employee on their next regularly scheduled pay day after employment ends.

Veterans Corner:

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its Veterans’ Employment and Training Service has signed a memorandum of understanding with five new partners that have agreed to support VETS’ Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot. The ENPP provides one-on-one career assistance to transitioning service members and their spouses at select military installations worldwide. The initiative helps to enhance classroom instruction provided by the department’s Transition Assistance Program. Partner organizations will support the pilot with apprenticeship opportunities, hiring events, digital matching of skills and experience, employment mentorship and networking. These organizations also committed to employing veterans and offering employment referrals and placement, workforce training and wrap-around service for additional support.

Training Talk!

Community Credit Union is happy to share the Getting Ahead program in mid-January. The program is a group workshop to help people stabilize their situations and build resources to improve their lives. The program guides investigators through the process of assessing and building their own resources  as part of their move to self-sufficiency. Getting Ahead participants, known as investigators, create their own plan and build resources, tools, and skills needed for stability. They also build healthy relationships with others, begin the process of writing their own future stories, and learn how to start thriving.

• Getting Ahead is a 16-session program that can be one or two classes a week at 3 hours a class (So it can be an 8-week program twice a week or once a week for 16 weeks)
• Meal, tools for class, and the workbook is provided
• Investigators are paid for their work (either per session or lump sum at the end)
• There will be some homework after sessions to continue investigating into the topic further

This summer, the Department of Labor joined the Talent Pipeline Challenge with other federal agencies. This is a nationwide call to action for employers, unions, education and training providers, and several other groups to support equitable workforce development in the broadband, construction and electrification industries.  This historic legislation will create thousands of new jobs in clean energy, battery manufacturing, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and many other similar fields. Diversifying and expanding Registered Apprenticeship programs in infrastructure-related jobs is essential to training workers for up-and-coming industries that will rebuild America’s roads, bridges, ports and airports, and upgrade public transit and rail systems. These jobs will help replace lead pipes to provide clean water, make affordable, high-speed internet more accessible to every family in America, deliver cheaper and cleaner energy, create good-paying jobs, and build a clean energy economy. 

January is:

• National Poverty Awareness Month
• National Blood Donor Month
• Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
• National Human Resource Month

CareerCorner – January Feature- Office Manager

An office manager has a plethora of duties that sometimes are hard to categorize. The duties can range from reception, copy editing, administrative support, inventory, coordinating IT on equipment, budgeting, training new employees, and other HR functions. Office manager qualifications are open to many degree disciplines, but the position tends to be more focused on interpersonal skills, software knowledge, organizing, problem solving, leadership, budgeting, and attention to detail. To be an office manager you may consider an apprenticeship, work experience, a business or human resource degree or certification program.

Notable Quote:

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony”--  Thomas Merton

Hiring Events: (Click on the “Hiring Events” link for full list)

• 1/4-  Portland CareerCenter 1^st Wednesday Hiring Event
• 1/9-  Versant Power Hiring Event- Bangor CareerCenter
• 1/11- Brunwick CareerCenter- New Year, New Career Hiring event

Workshops: (click on the “Workshops” link for more)

• 1/17- Creating a Winning Resume
• 1/18- Maine JobLink: Creating and Navigating Your Job Seeker Accout
• 1/25- Municipal Summer Internship Information Session

And MORE!

Central Maine Community College (CMCC) is offering a grant funded Behavioral Health Professional (BHP) certification course beginning February 6^th.  The program consists of 12 online models by Woodfords Family Services, live online instruction and assessments, one in-person session, plus adult and pediatric first aid and CPR certification.

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Maine Department of Labor and Maine CareerCenters provide equal opportunity in employment and programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request.