Labor Department to hold Facebook Live Q&A on Youth Employment

August 6, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 6, 2018

Media Contact: Laura Hudson, Maine Department of Labor, 621-5009

AUGUSTA - Maine Department of Labor will live stream a Q&A on youth employment and the work permitting process as part of its Youth Employment and the Steps to Success campaign, a.k.a the Maine YES Initiative. The one-hour Facebook Live feed will be available to address questions people may have about hiring youth, the work permit process as an employer, minor or parent, a youth and training pilot program for tourism industry, or related questions.

"We must prepare Maine's next generation of workers, by promoting and encouraging youth to enter the workforce earlier," said Governor Paul R. LePage. "The skills learned through that first job cannot be overstated; from managing their own money, to being dependable and on time, to beginning their quest for a career, there is no better preparation for a lifetime of work than that first job."

When: Wednesday, August 8, 12 noon

Where: https://www.facebook.com/maineYESinitiative

Send questions before the event to lindsey.moran@maine.gov.

Superintendent offices are open year-round, and MDOL can turn around a Work Permit in as little as two to three days. Once the minor has the promise of a job, they can apply for a Work Permit at their Superintendent's Office. Maine Department of Labor will review the permit to ensure minor is of legal age and that the occupation is safe. Through July 31, 2018, 3737 Work Permits have been issued, which is a 14 percent increase over the same period in 2017. There were 4,261 work permits issued in all of 2017.

About Maine YES Initiative

Maine YES Initiative seeks to boost youth employment to help them learn responsibility, develop work and life skills, and encourages young people to think about what employment "Steps" mean to their personal definition of "Success" - work, pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, college, trades school, career paths, etc. Introducing teens into the workforce helps build confidence, self-reliance and independence, understand the responsibility and value of having their own money, and cultivates soft skills that many employers crave in today's workers. Learn more at https://www.mainecareercenter.gov/yes . For information on the tourism grant, visit http://www.mainecareercenter.gov/yes/ytpp .

About MDOL’s Bureau of Labor Standards

The Bureau of Labor Standards is Maine's regulatory agency overseeing labor and employment law and workplace safety; it provides both consultation and enforcement services. The division promotes and achieves compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of Maine's workforce.

Maine Department of Labor is an equal opportunity provider. Auxiliary aids and services are available to individuals with disabilities upon request.

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