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Town of New Gloucester
385 Intervale Road, New Gloucester, ME 04260
(207) 926-4126 (phone) / (207) 926-4136 (fax)
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Town of Poland
1231 Maine Street, Poland, ME 04274
(207) 998-4601 (phone) / (207) 998-2002 (fax)
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Department of Labor to Accept Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Applications May 1
The Maine Department of Labor will begin accepting applications for the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) at 8 a.m. on Friday, May 1. People whose claim does not require further review should begin receiving benefits within seven days of filing.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance is a new federal program which expanded eligibility for unemployment benefits to certain categories of workers not typically able to receive unemployment in the past, such as:
- self-employed workers;
- farmers/fishermen;
- independent contractors;
- nonprofit employees not already covered by regular State unemployment benefits;
- gig economy workers;
- workers who do not have enough work history and earnings to be eligible for traditional unemployment benefits; and
- others who have been determined ineligible for regular unemployment benefits.
For more information about the new PUA, please click here.
For other Department of Labor information and resources, visit the Department’s COVID-19 page online here.
Plan to Restart Maine’s Economy
Governor extends stay-at-home order, with modifications to allow for activities and business operations deemed safe
Earlier this week, the Governor presented her Administration’s plan to gradually and safely restart Maine’s economy. The plan, which comes as the State appears to be successfully flattening the curve, establishes four gradual stages of reopening, the first of which begins May 1. The stages focus not on essential v. non-essential designations, like those used to originally limit business operations and activities, but on the ability of a business to operate or an activity to occur in a manner that protects public health and safety. As the Administration gradually eases restrictions on some businesses and activities, it also implements protective protocols, along with broader additional health and safety measures, to protect Maine people.
To that end, the Governor also announced she will extend the State’s stay-at-home order in the form of a new “Stay Safer at Home” Executive Order. The new Order continues to have Maine people stay at home with limited exceptions for already permitted activities, such as grocery shopping or exercising. However, the new Stay Safer at Home Order also allows Maine people to visit businesses or participate in activities that are deemed safe to open under Stage 1 of the reopening plan. The Order extends through May 31, 2020, but is subject to change.
Additional details regarding the plan to restart Maine’s economy can be found online here.
Coronavirus Auto Insurance Discounts
Most of the major auto insurance carriers have announced “payback” plans for customers who are sheltering in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are no longer driving to and from work. Some of the relief programs mentioned below apply only to personal auto insurance policies.
Allstate announced they will give customers 15 percent back based on their premiums for April and May. The funds will automatically be deposited back to the bank or credit card used for the customer’s most recent payment or apply credits to accounts.
American Family is offering a one-time payment of $50 for each personal vehicle insured with them.
Chubb is providing its personal auto insurance clients a 35 percent premium reduction for April and May. It is also giving U.S. small business clients whose policies renew from April through August an automatic 15 percent reduction in premiums for their commercial auto insurance.
Farmers will reduce auto insurance premiums by 25 percent, but only for one month. The credit will be applied automatically to an upcoming billing statement or refunded to the bank or credit card account on file if the customer paid their account balance in full.
GEICO is offering credits of 15 percent of the customer’s next six-month policy term for all auto, motorcycle, and RV policyholders as the policies come up for renewal.
Hartford will issue refunds worth “about 15 percent” of April and May premiums to personal auto insurance customers.
Liberty Mutual is giving personal auto insurance customers a 15 percent refund on two months of their auto insurance premium, based on the premium amount as of April 7, 2020. The refund will be issued in the manner customers made their most recent payment or by check.
Nationwide will issue a one-time premium refund of $50 per policy for all personal auto policies active as of March 31, 2020.
Progressive is giving personal auto policyholders a credit of 20 percent of their April or May premiums. The credit will be applied to any outstanding balance or next bill, or refunded if the policy has already been paid in full. Commercial customers with a business owner or general liability policy will get a 20% credit on April and May monthly premiums.
State Farm is giving its auto insurance customers a credit of “about 25 percent” of their premium for March 20 to the end of May—exact percentages will vary by state. Customers will receive credits applied against bills beginning as early as June.
Travelers is giving personal auto insurance customers a 15 percent credit on April and May auto insurance premiums, rebated in the form of account credits.
USAA is giving every member with an auto insurance policy in effect as of March 31, 2020, a 20 percent credit on two months of premiums. The credit will automatically be applied to customers’ bills.
NAMI Maine Launches Teen Peer Support Text Line
Maine’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Maine) recently announced the launch of the Teen Text Support Line, a new mental health program for youth 14 – 20 years of age living in Maine.
The Text Support Line can be reached at (207) 515 – 8398 (TEXT) and operates from 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. each day. It provides adolescents who may need additional mental health support with a safe space to talk with another young person. Staff providing support via the Teen Text Support Line are between 19 – 23 years of age.
According to the 2019 Maine KIDS COUNT Data Book, Maine’s youth have the highest rate of diagnosed anxiety in the nation, and the country’s third highest rate of diagnosed depression among children age three – 17.
The Teen Text Support Line is not a crisis line. If you believe that you or someone you know could be in crisis, please do not hesitate to connect with the Maine Crisis Line via phone or text at (888) 568-1112.
Nearly $11 Million in Federal Funds to Support Essential Workers and Child Care Providers in Response to COVID-19
Nearly $11 million in federal funds will support access to child care for Maine's essential workers, including healthcare professionals and first responders, and offer relief for child care providers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Maine has received $10,953,470 through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families' Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program. The CCDBG program helps eligible low-income and working families to afford child care and supports providers in delivering high-quality care.
Under the CARES Act, workers deemed essential who are working outside the home are now temporarily eligible to receive child care assistance regardless of their income, including health care workers, first responders, emergency medical services personnel, state employees, grocery store staff, environmental services professionals, and others.
Child care providers affected by the pandemic will also receive immediate assistance. Nearly 2,000 providers will receive a one-time stipend, based on their capacity and extent of their current operations. Child care providers will additionally receive support to aid them in resuming operations following the conclusion of the civil state of emergency.
Financial assistance will support households where all parents/guardians are essential employees who are reporting to work outside the home and will be paid on their behalf directly to their child care provider.
The new federal funding builds on the strategies the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has already implemented to support Maine families and child care providers in response to the pandemic, including:
- working with child care partners to matchworking parents, including those serving in essential response roles, with providers who remain open at this time;
- for parents participating in the Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP), the DHHS is paying the parent portion of child care costs directly to providers;
- continuing to pay child care subsidy on behalf of children when providers are closed due to COVID-19;
- extending all current CCSP awards for three months to allow families additional time to submit documentation;
- implementing emergency, temporary child care licenses to meet the needs of essential employees; and
- regularly distributing guidance to child care providers about appropriate health and safety precautions.
Order of Bond Questions on July Ballot
The order of the two bond questions for the July 14, 2020 special referendum election have been announced.
Question 1: Internet Infrastructure Bond (PL 673, Sec. B 10) "Do you favor a $15,000,000 bond issue to invest in high-speed internet infrastructure for unserved and underserved areas, to be used to match up to $30,000,000 in federal, private, local, or other funds?”
Question 2: Transportation Bond (PL 673, Sec. A-9) “Do you favor a $105,000,000 bond issue for improvement of highways and bridges statewide and for multimodal facilities or equipment related to transit, freight, and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation, and active transportation projects, to be used to match an estimated $275,000,000 in federal and other funds?”
Voters will decide on the two bond questions in the special referendum election on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, which will take place on the same day as the State primary election.
Visit the Upcoming Elections Web page for additional information. The State of Maine Online Absentee Ballot Request Service for this election is live, allowing registered voters to easily request their ballots via mail. Voters can also request their ballot from their municipal clerk directly or vote in person on July 14.
Maine citizens who need to register to vote can access the Maine Voter Registration Application online and submit the completed form via mail to their town clerk.
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