The Maine Department of Labor announced that the minimum wage for 2021 will be $12.15/hour. Read the full press release at Maine.gov or details are listed below for reference.
The minimum wage for 2021 will be $12.15/hour
How MGFPA has made it easier to do business during the COVID-19 Pandemic
We’re All in This Together
At every step of the way, we have injected our voice to help. We clarified who was considered essential in the early days, consistently provided industry best-practices and protocols, advocated for clear guidelines and policy adjustments to ensure everyone’s safety, diligently answered all your questions, and immersed ourselves in anything and everything COVID-19 to be your industry expert. The coronavirus has affected everyone and continues to place incredible demands on our industry.
$200M Economic Recovery Grant Program
Governor Mills Launches $200 Million Economic Recovery Grant Program to Support Maine Small Businesses
“The program, backed by $200 million in Federal CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF), will provide financial relief for businesses and non-profit organizations that incurred business disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are intended to help sustain the viability of Maine’s small businesses and nonprofits – not to replace lost profits – and will provide short-term relief to help stabilize Maine’s economy while still focusing on the state’s long-term goals described in the state’s 10-year strategic economic development plan. The program draws on a recommendation from the Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee.
Face Coverings FAQ, from Jordan Payne Hay, Esq. Skelton Taintor & Abbott
Jordan Payne Hay is an employment and labor law attorney at Skelton Taintor & Abbott. She offered to answer some questions we submitted to her in an effort for us to respond to the flurry of inquires we have received on face-coverings. This article is not legal advice but should be considered as general guidance in the area of employment and corporate law.
Can a business actually deny service to anyone not wearing a mask? Is this an ADA violation?
- Yes. The ADA generally prohibits public accommodations from establishing criteria that excludes individuals based on a disability, unless “the criteria are necessary for the business to operate safely in providing its goods and services,” based on actual risks (not be based on speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations). At this time, guidance from the CDC and the EEOC suggests that businesses concerned about the safety of their staff and customers should be justified in relying on state and local governments’ orders, to justify policies forbidding customers without face masks from entering their stores. As a best practice, and to avoid unwelcomed situations at the store, a business choosing to enforce such a policy should clearly communicate it to its customers (including in advance, e.g., via its website or a sign out front). The Executive Order also says, “Such businesses may deny entry or service to a person who is not wearing a covering and is not otherwise exempt from the requirement to do so.”
MGFPA & Partners Encourage Customers To Be Kind
Retailers, grocers, food producers and other businesses across Maine are asking the public to practice kindness and respect toward workers and each other as shops, restaurants and other locations continue reopening following the unprecedented shutdown caused by COVID-19.