Working assets
Budget cuts are never easy — not at the federal level, the state level or within a business or organization. Much of the hullabaloo surrounding continued work on federal budgets and in Augusta talk about the impact on disenfranchised or vulnerable people: the elderly, the poor and children.
Important, of course, but there's an equally worthy group to pay attention to: your workers. The temporary cut in payroll taxes that passed in 2010 as a means to stimulate spending, and therefore the economy, has expired. The net result is most working folks are seeing a 2% cut in their take-home pay.
If your business is in a position to award raises this year and address that loss, terrific. If not, what you offer in the way of employee benefits takes on even greater meaning, and that includes your workplace environment. As David Ciullo, president of Portland-based Career Management Associates, notes in a story by Staff Writer Matt Dodge, "People work for people, they don't work for companies." Relationships matter in the workplace, especially when it's changing as happens during a merger, the subject of Matt's story, "Navigating change," on page 22. It's part of this issue's focus on human resources and benefits.
We also offer a primer on new definitions of "employee" versus "independent contractor" recently issued by the Maine Department of Labor. Pay close attention — these new definitions cross all employment-related agencies: DOL, workers' compensation and unemployment. It starts on page 20. And we take a look at a state jobs forecast through 2020 — where there's growth both in employment numbers and pay. Check out "Where the jobs are," on page 24.
A compelling look at Connecticut Water, the company that recently acquired two sizeable water utilities in Maine, anchors our cover. Senior Writer Jim McCarthy looks at the motivation behind the company's $73 million investment in Maine and what it means to ratepayers in, "Water works." And although there's snow on the ground, a growing percent of Maine farmers aren't letting that stop production. Thanks to federal grants that encourage the use of hoophouses, year-round farming is spurring sales of locally grown produce. Check out Contributing Writer Craig Idlebrook's piece, "Hoopla," also starting on the cover.
Speaking of valuing employees, nearly every Business Leader of the Year we've recognized gives credit to the team of talent he or she works with. They understand the importance of their work force in achieving success. If you know a remarkable business leader, take a moment to nominate him or her as a 2013 Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year. Details are at mainebiz.biz/BLOY2013.
Carol Coultas
ccoultas@mainebiz.biz
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