Inequality and workforce development in the post-COVID-19 environment: The case of Maine

Abstract The article analyses the interaction between the COVID-19 pandemic and social inequality in the United States, taking the state of Maine as a case study. The pandemic has revealed the effects of high economic inequality on public health in the United States, where in comparison to most developed capitalist democracies, the health care system is expensive, inefficient, and highly skewed in quality and accessibility. Likewise, for industries that were already losing jobs, the pandemic has accelerated a painful transition and intensified the harsh social and economic consequences of high and rising inequality, especially for low-wage workers. The case of Maine underscores the point that policies aimed at reducing the disparities in the distribution of income, health care, education, and opportunity will reduce inequality, protect public health, and stimulate economic growth.