June is Youth Employment Month! The Maine DOE is excited to share the Maine Department of Labor’s resources to ensure that school staff, counselors, and teachers have what they need to empower their students as they enter the world of work and ensure that students and their families know their rights and available resources.
Employers in Maine and throughout the country are increasingly challenged to find employees and are relying more heavily on younger workers to meet that need. Applications for minor work permits increased by nearly 75% between 2017 and 2022. With this increase in youth hiring, violations of child labor law and workplace injuries have also been on the rise in Maine.
The Maine Department of Labor wants to work with employers and young job seekers to ensure students know their rights and are safe and healthy both in the workplace and in school. School staff can help with this, as well by sharing resources that can help prepare students to navigate the world of work.
A new resource webpage has been created with relevant information for schools, students, and their families: https://www.maine.gov/labor/schoolresources/
The Department of Labor is also happy to come present to school staff or students, on any of these topics. If interested, please contact the Maine Department of Labor at 207-623-7900 or www.maine.gov/labor/contact.