COVID-19 and the Workforce: July 2, 2020

COVID-19 and the Workforce: July 2, 2020

TOP HEADLINES 

New OSHA Guidance Clarifies Return-to-Work Expectations 
SHRM – June 20, 2020 
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued guidance for reopening businesses that recommends each establishment conduct a hazard assessment for all jobs. It also clarifies OSHA’s positions on temperature checks, coronavirus testing and face masks. 

Weekly Jobless Claims Rise More Than Expected in Final Week of June 
CNBC – July 2, 2020 
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the first time rose more than expected last week as a resurgent coronavirus added pressure to the U.S. economy. 

CVS Launches Return-to-Work Service, Including In-House COVID-19 Testing Option 
HR Dive – June 26, 2020 
CVS Health launched a workplace reopening product for U.S. employers and universities to test employees and students for COVID-19 to help with reopening. 

COVID-19 Safety Plans Can Reduce Return-to-Workplace Fears  
SHRM – June 22, 2020 
Employers are taking steps to make their workplaces safe from COVID-19, but many aren’t pulling these actions together in a comprehensive plan. That’s a missed opportunity, as such plans can reduce workers’ fears about returning to worksites and defend employers from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties. 

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 to Lock Down 300,000 in Melbourne Suburbs After Coronavirus Spike  
Reuters – June 30, 2020 
Authorities will lock down more than 300,000 people in suburbs north of Melbourne for a month to contain the risk of infection after two weeks of double-digit rises in new coronavirus cases in Australia’s second most populous state. 

CANADA 
How COVID-19 Has Changed Canada’s Economy for the Worse — but Also for the Better 
CBC – June 23, 2020  
Every facet of Canadian life has been changed by the current pandemic, from how and where we live, to how we shop, eat and work. While not all changes have been for the better, COVID-19 could bring about some positive changes to Canada’s economy. 

INDIA 
India Opens One of the World’s Largest Hospitals to Fight Coronavirus 
CNN – June 29, 2020 
India has opened one of the largest hospitals in the world to help fight coronavirus, as health authorities announced the country’s biggest one-day increase in the number of new infections. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
Government Announces Easing of Lockdown Restrictions in England 
Staffing Industry Analysts – June 24, 2020 
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced further changes to lockdown measures in England to help businesses get back on their feet and get people back in their jobs. 

UNITED STATES 
Where are States on Reopening? At Least 18 are Adapting Plans to Stop the Spread of COVID-19 
USA Today – June 30, 2020 
Some are taking preemptive measures to postpone further phases of their reopening, while others have rolled back their phases to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

POLAND 
Polish-Czech Border in Silesia Fully Reopened 
Prague Morning – July 1, 2020 
The Polish-Czech border in Silesia province, southern Poland, fully reopened on Tuesday, June 30, and travelers will no longer be required to submit current coronavirus test results, the Czech Health Ministry said on Monday. 

Post by Jasmine Patel

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