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September 18, 2017 Edition
Focus on Health Care & Wellness

As rural health care providers struggle, employers eye wider implications

Laurie Schreiber

The obstetric department at Calais Regional Hospital had 64 births in 2016, but needs close to 300 births per year to break even. It's a quick statistic that hints at a world of difficulty for health care providers trying to remain viable in rural Maine.

Today's Poll

Does your company plan to add staff in the next 6 months?
Poll Description

Next year will bring a host of new challenges for businesses looking to add employees to the payroll. 

Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave law will go into effect, which will allow an employee to take paid leave for up to 12 weeks to care for an ill family member or new child, for instance.

The state's minimum wage will increase by 45 cents an hour, to $15.10 (a separate minimum wage provision will be voted on in Portland that could raise the hourly compensation to $19).

And rising health care premiums will continue to be a struggle for employers.

For companies that plan to grow, all of these factors will have to be managed.

More Information