Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

April 24, 2013

LePage names co-chairs of unemployment investigation

Gov. Paul LePage on Tuesday named George Jabar, a Kennebec County commissioner and Waterville attorney, and former Maine Supreme Judicial Court Justice Daniel Wathen, as co-chairmen of the commission that will investigate Maine's unemployment compensation system.

LePage's creation of the panel on April 17 has been overshadowed by a federal investigation into allegations that during a March 21 lunch at the Blaine House he pressured unemployment hearing officers, who decide unemployment benefit appeals, to decide more cases in favor of business. LePage's spokesman has denied those allegations.

In announcing LePage's appointments, a press release issued by the governor's office stated the commission's goal "is to ensure Maine's unemployment insurance system provides benefits for workers who are rightly entitled to them, while ensuring businesses are not charged when they appropriately let employees go. Additionally, the commission will review the rules and laws governing the system to assure Mainers they are consistently applied."

Sign up for Enews

Comments

Order a PDF