COVID-19 and the Workforce: July 17, 2020

COVID-19 and the Workforce: July 17, 2020

TOP HEADLINES 

Update on Key Changes to the Paycheck Protection Program 
SHRM – July 14, 2020 
Lawmakers recently extended the PPP loan application deadline to Aug. 8 and gave employers more flexibility when using the funds and applying for loan forgiveness. 

Weekly Jobless Claims Rise by More Than 1 Million for 17th Straight Week 
CNBC – July 16, 2020 
The number of Americans who filed for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as the country continues to grapple with the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.  

Gartner: Over 80% of Company Leaders Plan to Permit Remote Work After Pandemic  
HR Dive – July 16, 2020 
More than 80% of company leaders surveyed by research and advisory firm Gartner said their organizations plan to permit employees to work remotely at least part of the time upon reopening from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

CDC Guidance Reiterates Importance of Cloth Face Masks  
SHRM – July 6, 2020 
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in some states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reiterated the importance of wearing cloth face masks to contain the virus, noting that doing so is most likely to be effective when masks are “widely used by people in public settings.” 

Five Growing Post-COVID Industries and Where Their Jobs Are 
MarketWatch – July 13, 2020 
Here’s a closer look at five career fields that could potentially rebound quickly or fare well in a post COVID-19 world — and where these jobs are located. 

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 
Australia Grapples with New Surge in Coronavirus Cases 
NPR – July 14, 2020 
Melbourne reimposed strict public health emergency measures, establishing a “hard boundary” around the city and the closing of its borders with New South Wales in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. 

CANADA 
Bank of Canada Bank Sees No Economic Recovery to Pre-COVID-19 Levels Until 2022 
Reuters – July 15, 2020  
Bank of Canada held interest rate steady at 0.25% and said economic growth will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2022. 

INDIA 
India’s Tech Hub, Other Towns Back in Lockdown Amid COVID-19 Surge 
Reuters – July 14, 2020 
India’s high-tech hub of Bengaluru will go back into a coronavirus lockdown for a week after a surge of infections, threatening to derail government efforts to revive a stuttering economy. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
UK’s Growth Figures Dim Hopes of V-Shaped Recovery From COVID-19 
The Guardian – July 14, 2020 
The Treasury’s independent forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility, predicts that the recovery will take until the end of 2022 at best. 

UNITED STATES 
How U.S. Companies Are Planning for a Safe Return to the Workplace 
McKinsey & Company – June 26, 2020 
In a recent survey of 100 executives, respondents expect most employees to be working on-site by December. To do so, they are implementing a range of interventions that could transform how people work. 

POLAND 
Number of Confirmed Coronavirus Cases in Poland Reaches 39,054 
The First News – July 16, 2020 
The ministry reported that 1,550 people suspected of the coronavirus infection have been hospitalized, 90,496 are under quarantine and 9,778 are under sanitary-epidemiological supervision. So far, 28,928 people have recovered. 

Post by Jasmine Patel

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