COVID-19 and the Workforce: November 3, 2021

TOP HEADLINES 

Business Groups Ask White House to Delay Biden COVID Vaccine Mandate Until After the Holidays 
CNBC – October 25, 2021  
Worried that President Joe Biden’s COVID vaccine mandate for private companies could cause a mass exodus of employees, business groups are pleading with the White House to delay the rule until after the holiday season. 

Jobless Claims Hit New Pandemic-Era Low at 281,000 Filings  
Yahoo Finance – October 28, 2021   
Weekly jobless claims fell in the latest week, setting a marginal new pandemic-era low as the labor market slowly recovers to levels before COVID-19 walloped the global economy.  

Hiring with a Vaccine Mandate? Be Clear About Expectations 
SHRM – October 26, 2021
Setting clear expectations about COVID-19 vaccine requirements at the start of the hiring process and ensuring consistent recruitment messaging are some of the main responsibilities talent acquisition professionals should fulfill when their employer mandates vaccines for employees. 

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 
Australians Fired for Refusing COVID Vaccine Search Social Media for ‘Welcoming’ Employers 
The Guardian – November 1, 2021  
Unvaccinated Australians who have lost their jobs for refusing to comply with Covid vaccine mandates are using social media to find and share employment opportunities at workplaces where the new rules are not being enforced. 

CANADA 
Trudeau Sets Timeline for Broad Vaccine Mandates in Canada 
The New York Times – October 6, 2021  
Canada will make vaccination mandatory as of the end of October for air and rail passengers, and as of Oct. 29 for federal government workers, including members of the military and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced. 

INDIA 
At 10,423, India Records Lowest Daily COVID-19 Cases in Over 8 Months 
Deccan Herald – November 2, 2021 
India added 10,423 new coronavirus cases, the lowest in 259 days, while the active cases declined to 1,53,776, the lowest in 250 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Nov. 2. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
No Rush of Job-Seekers After End of UK Furlough, Survey Shows 
Reuters – November 2, 2021 
The end of Britain’s furlough program has not led to a surge in new job-seekers, according to data that suggests unemployment is unlikely to rise sharply and could bolster the case for a Bank of England interest rate hike. 

UNITED STATES 
Federal Contractors Get Broad Flexibility to Enforce COVID Vaccine Rules for Millions of Workers 
CNBC – November 1, 2021 
Under the new guidance, federal contractors from IBM and Boeing to food service providers will have flexibility to determine how they enforce the vaccination requirements for workers who refuse to be vaccinated. 

POLAND 
Poland’s Tally of COVID-19 Infections Crosses 3 Million 
Reuters – October 29, 2021 
Poland’s total number of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic passed 3 million on Oct. 29, health ministry data showed, with daily cases hitting their highest in the fourth wave as a spike in infections gathers pace.