COVID-19 and the Workforce: June 5, 2020

TOP HEADLINES 

Paycheck Protection Program: What to do if Your Rehire Offer is Rejected  
SHRM – June 3, 2020 
Employers that have laid people off can obtain loan forgiveness if they maintain headcount, which means rehiring those workers. But what if former employees decline the offer? 

Unemployment Claims Steadily Declining 
CNBC – June 4, 2020 
Filings for unemployment insurance claims totaled 1.877 million last week in a sign that the worst is over for the coronavirus-related jobs crisis but that the level of unemployment remains stubbornly high. 

As Lockdowns Ease, Here’s How Companies are Reopening  
LinkedIn – May 28, 2020 
With the United States slowly begin to reopen following coronavirus lockdowns, companies in various industries, spanning from retail to finance, are announcing their plans for the future — whether that means returning to the office, reopening for customers or rethinking how to operate. 

What’s New from the CDC 
Keep up with all the latest information on COVID-19 directly from the resources created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

GLOBAL NEWS 

AUSTRALIA 
Coronavirus: Australia Set for First Recession in Three Decades 
BBC News – June 3, 2020 
Official figures show that the economy shrank by 0.3% in the first three months of the year, amid bushfires and the early stages of the outbreak. Economists expect data for the current quarter to confirm that the shutdowns have pushed the country into recession. 

CANADA 
What You Need to Know About Canada’s Updated Provincial Coronavirus Travel Bans 
Forbes – June 4, 2020  
Though every province has different regulations (and they are constantly shifting as the COVID-19 situation evolves) some provinces are enforcing very strict travel rules. Here’s everything that you need to know about Canada’s inter-provincial travel bans. 

INDIA 
India’s Coronavirus Cases Cross 200,000, Peak Still Weeks Away 
Reuters – June 2, 2020 
India’s coronavirus infections crossed 200,000, official figures showed on Wednesday, and a peak could still be weeks away in the world’s second-most populous country, where the economy has begun reopening after a lockdown imposed in March. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
Which UK Shops are Reopening and When as COVID-19 Lockdown Eases? 
The Guardian – June 3, 2020 
Many non-essential shopping chains are preparing to let customers back into stores as the coronavirus lockdown eases. 

UNITED STATES 
See How All 50 States are Reopening 
The New York Times – June 3, 2020 
The United States has crossed an uneasy threshold, with all 50 states beginning to reopen in some way after the coronavirus thrust the country into lockdown. But there are substantial variations in how states are deciding to open up, with some forging far ahead of others. 

POLAND 
Poland to Start Reopening Borders “Within Days, Maybe Weeks,” Says Foreign Minister  
Notes From Poland – June 2, 2020 
The start of the process of reopening Poland’s borders, which have been locked down since mid-March, should be made “within a matter of days, maybe weeks,” says the country’s foreign minister, Jacek Czaputowicz.