Monthly Archives: July 2014

Involuntary part-time work up during the recovery

There’s been a lot of discussion, criticism, and defense to Gov. Paul LePage’s economic record thus far.  One of the larger criticisms is that while the state’s unemployment rate continues to dip, as noted by some, Maine has the 5th highest rate of involuntary part-time work. (click images to enlarge) Unsurprisingly, that rate has increased since the […]

Just how low are wages in Maine? (w/ one update)

ON the back of Darren Fishell’s recent post on the BLS’s recently released wage data for 2013 for all counties in the U.S., below is a breakdown of average annual wages for all counties in New England.   As a state, Maine ranks 46th nationally, however, delving into the data reveals where Maine sits relative to its […]

State’s economy continues to improve, still plenty of slack in the labor market

FROM the Philly Fed: The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has released the coincident indexes for the 50 states for June 2014. In the past month, the indexes increased in 42 states, decreased in three, and remained stable in five, for a one-month diffusion index of 78. Over the past three months, the indexes increased […]

How do Maine’s Metro Areas do in attracting College Grads?

WHILE the evidence of a skills gap in Maine remains questionable at best, the state does face longer-term structural problems regarding its aging population.  While the aging population is not the primary problem with the current state of Maine’s economy and labor market, these long-term problems cannot be ignored either.  In order to replace the […]

Is there a Skills Gap in Maine?

AS noted previously, much has been made in Maine regarding twin structural problems in the state’s labor market and overall economy.  The first problem is that Maine’s shifting demographics are causing a labor shortage (or, some will argue, will within the next 6 years).  However, the concern over shifting demographics is a bit misplaced; at […]

The ACA and Part-time Work

JUST prior to the recently published jobs report, the national GOP posted a press release on its website arguing, in part, that the ACA is pushing the economy into a part-time economy.  It’s an oft stated argument by the GOP and its members.  For instance, Maine Senator Susan Collins co-sponsored legislation that would change the definition of […]

June Jobs Report: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

AS noted previously, the national jobs report was released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Overall, the jobs report was positive, with the economy creating 288,000 jobs; well above projections of roughly 210,000.  This was the fifth consecutive month of job creation above 200,000, the first time that has happened since the tech […]