Augusta, ME (WorkersCompensation.com) — If you’re thinking about torts and on-the-job injuries, you’re probably also thinking about exclusive remedy rules in most states.
What an exclusive remedy rule does is prevent someone from suing for a work-related injury, since the “grand bargain” is that such an injury would be covered by workers’ compensation.
However, there are always exceptions to rules, and in Maine one of those exceptions applies to sexual harassment an employee experiences on the job.
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So, here’s the rule:
+ An employee, supervisor, officer, or director of an employer is liable for: 1) sexual harassment; 2) sexual assault; or 3) an intentional tort related to sexual harassment or sexual assault.
But what about the employer?
Maine law states that the sexual harassment by an employee does not impose liability on the employer. However, employees might have recourse against employers under civil rights laws and may consider brining an action alleging employment discrimination under the Maine Human Rights Act or Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Workers’ Comp 101: In Knox v. Combined Ins. Co. of America, 542 A.2d 363 (Me. 1988), an employee sued her employer for mental injuries caused by sexual harassment committed upon her by her supervisor. Maine’s top court sent back the decision of the lower court, which held that sexual harassment was not covered by the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act and thus could not be subject to the act’s exclusivity bar. Instead, the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine reasoned, “Injuries resulting from acts of sexual harassment are not excluded from the Act’s coverage solely because of the sexual nature of the harassment.”
In the court’s view, sexual harassment was indistinguishable from other types of assault as far as workers’ compensation law was concerned, but the connection between work and the injury had to be fleshed out at trial.
“Like other assaults, sexual assaults constitute a violent invasion of a person’s bodily integrity, and under the right set of facts, mental or physical injuries from a sexual assault could be compensable injuries under the Act,” the court wrote. “Although claims for an employee’s injuries resulting from sexual assaults and sexual harassment by a supervisor may be compensable under the Act, depending on whether there is a sufficient relationship between the injury and the employment so as to make the injury arise out of and in the course of the employment, that uniquely factual determination must be made by the trial court.”
The recent rain in Maine is easing the drought that parts of the state have been experiencing since the fall.
Scott Dean, a Spectrum meteorologist, said much of Maine has been at least “dry” for several months. Parts of the state, including Portland, Bangor and Bar Harbor, are under a “moderate” drought.
Much of the country is also experiencing a drought, Dean added. The Southeast is seeing extreme levels of drought, and the West coast has been under a drought for years. There are many factors that go into this, including climate change, weather patterns like El Niño and La Niña and other factors.
And, when an area does experience drought, it can become a feedback loop. With less moisture in the ground and atmosphere, the drought can “feed upon itself,” Dean said.
“It takes a while to get into a drought and it also takes a while to get out of one,” Dean said.
But, the rainy days in Maine have been alleviating the drought, Dean said. And, the trend is likely to continue — the forecast is predicting above average levels of precipitation for the next three to four weeks.
“Hopefully, we are continuing to head in the right direction as the drought has eased in these areas,” Dean said.
In fact, if these rains do continue, Maine could come out of the drought sometime this summer.
Craig Joseph Ahlemeyer
STANDISH – Craig J. Ahlemeyer, 48 of Standish, passed away unexpectedly, Saturday, June 13, 2026.A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, June 27 th at Standish Congregational Church, 25 Oak Hill Road in Standish. A reception will follow.To see Craig’s full obituary, share a memory or leave the family an online condolence, please visit http://www.athutchins.com.
“Do you ever think we could find some woods to walk in?” my outdoorsy 12-year-old asks me, every now and again. As a kid growing up in New York City, Anton appreciates all the skate parks and bagel shops, but he also really craves nature, like in his bones.
So, when school got out, I offered to take him for a weekend in Maine, a place with not only woods but also lakes and rocks and periwinkles that come out of their shells when you hum. We were both really excited.
The first night, we were lucky enough to snag a room at Aragosta, a beautiful small hotel in Deer Isle that Alison had recommended.
The chef-owner, Devin Finigan, is famous for her seasonal tasting menus, but we focused on the breakfast that came with the room, including these Maine blueberry pancakes. I don’t even usually like pancakes and these blew my mind.
We also played a LOT of chess on our little travel board.
After breakfast, we set out to hike up Blue Hill Mountain.
Here’s the summit!
In the afternoon, we explored the charming fishing village of Stonington…
…then joined my friend Julie (of Rudy Jude fame) and her family for dinner at the Burnt Cove Boil.
Basically, a crab gets plonked down in front of you, followed by a corn on the cob, then a lobster, then a classic ice-cream sandwich. Julie and her husband Anthony taught us how to get all the meat out. (Their kids were already pros.)
Afterward, the four boys scrambled around on the rocks, while the adults chatted. It’s always such a treat to hang out with people who live in the place you’re visiting, don’t you think? Julie and Anthony described how they brought their recently hatched chicks into their home to keep them warm, and all the peeping was sooooo loud — and then a cricket got into the house and added to the noise and no one could find it and everyone was going nuts, haha. Very different from city life!
The next day, Anton and I stayed at the lovely Asticou Hotel near Acadia National Park.
We drove to a couple trailheads but they were PACKED — you had to stand in a long line, just to start the hike! Luckily, we found a quieter area and took a long walk around Jordan Pond, playing Would You Rather and Categories along the way. Do you have any favorite travel games?
Finally, we skimmed stones on our last afternoon before heading back to Brooklyn.
Epic travel buddy
Oh, Maine, what a magical place! Not pictured, of course: traffic, grumpy preteen moments, locking our keys in the rental car, etc., but all that’s to be expected.
Have you been to Maine? Do you live there? What parts do you love? Any pro tips? I’d love to hear. xoxo
P.S. Our Maine trip — and another amazing hotel — when the boys were much younger, and a Maine home with a bedroom looking over water.
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