Category: COVID-19

TOP HEADLINES 

Over Half of U.S. Employers Will Require Employee Vaccines, Willis Towers Watson Survey Finds 
Willis Towers Watson – November 30, 2021  
Employer enthusiasm for financial incentives for vaccination has waned, and employers are split on whether vaccine mandates will help recruiting or lead to resignations. 

Weekly Jobless Claims Post Stunning Decline to 199,000, the Lowest Level Since 1969 
CNBC – November 24, 2021   
The ranks of those submitting jobless claims tumbled to their lowest level in more than 52 years last week, the Labor Department reported Wednesday.  

Record Quitting Fuels Tight Job Market 
SHRM – November 12, 2021 
The U.S. economy has had more than 10 million open jobs since June, an extraordinary stretch of imbalance in the labor market that also includes record numbers of workers quitting their jobs. 

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’s Version of the ‘Great Resignation’ Revealed as Staff Swap Jobs  
The Sydney Morning Herald – November 14, 2021  
The post-lockdown recovery is driving a resurgence in job hopping, in Australia’s version of the “great resignation”, after employees stayed put and focused on retaining work during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

CANADA 
Canadian Employers Shed Unvaccinated Workers, Labor Lawyers in Demand 
Reuters – November 3, 2021  
Canadian employers are firing or putting on unpaid leave thousands of workers who refused to get COVID-19 shots, squeezing an already tight labor market and raising prospects of potentially disruptive legal challenges. 

INDIA 
India’s Economy is on Track—But New Covid Variant Could Weigh on Growth, Economists Say 
CNBC – December 1, 2021 
India’s economy expanded in line with market expectations for the quarter ending in September, but economists say risks like the new COVID variant omicron could weigh on future growth. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
UK Employers Step Up Demand for Workers Vaccinated Against COVID
The Guardian – November 23, 2021 
Employers in the UK are following the lead of their counterparts in the U.S. by stepping up demands for staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19, analysis of recruitment adverts reveals. 

UNITED STATES 
Renewed U.S. Jobs Strength Confronts Fresh Challenge in Omicron 
Bloomberg – December 2, 2021 
U.S. employment growth is projected to exceed a half million for a second month in November, though such momentum may be tested by a new Covid-19 strain that could keep potential workers sidelined for longer. 

POLAND 
Poland Says No New Restrictions Despite Infection Surge 
The Telegraph – November 27, 2021 
Poland’s resistance to introducing new lockdowns and restrictions amid skyrocketing COVID-19 infections and deaths is drawing criticism from the country’s medical professionals and is bucking a growing European embrace of limits on the unvaccinated. 

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. 

TOP HEADLINES 

Employers Struggle to Digest Biden’s Proposed Vaccine Mandate  
Business Insurance – September 14, 2021  
There are more questions than answers for employers bracing for President Joe Biden’s forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine mandate, including who will be charged with enforcing rules and footing the bills, legal experts say. 

Weekly Jobless Claims Rise More Than Expected to 362,000 
CNBC – September 30, 2021 
Initial jobless claims climbed again last week, rising to 362,000, the Labor Department said Thursday, as hiring appeared to remain sluggish while the U.S. battles the delta variant. 

Clear Communication Is Key to Effective Return to Worksite 
SHRM – September 29, 2021 
Some employees have already returned to the worksite; others never left. But for those still planning their return, transparency, safety protocols and detailed expectations are important. 

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 
How Quickly Australia is Vaccinating: By State and Territory 
9News – September 30, 2021  
The nation’s reopening plan hinges on coronavirus vaccination rates of 70%, and then 80%, in each state or territory, with NSW revealing its roadmap out of lockdown this week. 

CANADA 
More than 80% of Eligible Canadians Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 
CTV News – September 28, 2021  
More than 80% of eligible Canadians over the age of 12 have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

INDIA 
Quarter of India’s Adult Population Fully Vaccinated, Nearly 70% Got at Least 1 Dose 
NDTV – September 30, 2021 
The government said that 64% doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in vaccination centers in rural areas and 35% in urban areas. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
End of COVID-19 Jobs Program to Test UK Recovery 
The Wall Street Journal – September 30, 2021 
A UK experiment in preventing mass layoffs is coming to an end, in a test of how quickly economies can reabsorb workers idled by the pandemic and wean companies off government support. 

UNITED STATES 
U.S. COVID Recovery Spreads as Prospects Improve in 47 States 
Bloomberg – September 29, 2021 
The U.S. recovery from the latest COVID-19 wave is taking hold across the country, with cases dropping or poised to start falling in the vast majority of states. 

POLAND 
Poland’s New COVID Cases to Surpass 1,000 for the First Time Since May 
The First News – September 29, 2021 
The number of new daily coronavirus cases in Poland surpassed 1,000 for the first time since late May, as a fourth wave of the pandemic gathers pace amid low vaccination rates. 

TOP HEADLINES 

Where Companies Stand on Vaccine Requirements and Return to Office 
The New York Times – September 2, 2021 
The Delta variant has upended office return plans. Here’s when large companies expect to have employees back at their desks. 

Jobless Claims Total 340,000, Lowest Level Since Early Days of Pandemic 
CNBC – September 2, 2021 
Initial filings for unemployment insurance fell to their lowest levels since March 2020 in another sign that the labor market is gradually improving from the COVID-19 era, the Labor Department reported. 

Manufacturing, Retail and Hospitality Employers Slow to Mandate Vaccines 
HR Dive – August 31, 2021 
Employers in the manufacturing and retail/hospitality industries are the least likely to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees, according to an Aug. 23 report from law firm Littler. 

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 
Delta Surge Sees Split in Australian States’ COVID-Zero Strategy 
Bloomberg – September 2, 2021  
Australia’s COVID-Zero strategy is under unprecedented pressure with some states seeking to remain isolated from Sydney and Melbourne, where attempts to eliminate the highly-contagious Delta variant have largely been abandoned. 

CANADA 
It May be Difficult for Employers to Uphold Vaccine Mandates 
CTV News – September 2, 2021  
As Canada tries to return to a pre-pandemic normal, workplaces are grappling with enforcing vaccine mandates for their employees, and some employees are learning in real-time the legality of such mandates. 

INDIA 
Reemploying India: How Can We Create the Jobs Millions of Indians Need? 
Forbes India – August 23, 2021 
Structural weaknesses in the jobs market, amplified by COVID-19, continue to quietly impact many, particularly women and younger workers. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
UK Furlough Scheme Must Stay for COVID-Hit Industries, Warn Unions and Firms
The Guardian – August 31, 2021 
The furlough scheme should be extended to protect workers in industries that continue to be damaged by the pandemic, business groups and unions have said as the job subsidy program that has supported more than 11 million employees entered its final month. 

UNITED STATES 
Number of Employers to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccinations is Expected to Surge 
Staffing Industry Analysts – September 2, 2021 
The number of employers in the U.S. requiring COVID-19 vaccinations is set to surge, according to a survey by Willis Towers Watson. 

POLAND 
Vaccinated People to be Exempt from Any New Restrictions – Health Minister 
The First News – September 1, 2021 
If restrictions to stem the spread of COVID-19 are reintroduced in Poland, they will not apply to fully vaccinated people, the health minister said on Wednesday.

TOP HEADLINES 

Federal Government, Larger Companies Roll Out Stricter Vaccination Policies 
SHRM – July 29, 2021 
Some large employers—such as Facebook and Google—will require workers to get vaccinated before returning to the office due to the surge in coronavirus cases. 

Continuing Jobless Claims Hit New Pandemic-Era Low, Falling Below 3 Million 
CNBC – August 5, 2021 
Initial claims for unemployment insurance edged lower last week, meeting Wall Street expectations, while longer-term unemployment signs showed improvement, the Labor Department reported Thursday. 

After Months of Avoiding the Vaccine Issue, Companies Begin to Mandate  
The New York Times – August 03, 2021 
Some of the nation’s largest employers, for months reluctant to wade into the fraught issue of whether COVID-19 vaccinations should be mandatory for workers, have in recent days been compelled to act as infections have surged again. 

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 
COVID Updates: PM Says Timeline for Reaching Vaccination Goal is ‘Up to Us as Australians’ — as it Happened 
ABC – June 28, 2021  
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says state and territory governments have agreed “in principle” to a vaccination target plan at the June 28 National Cabinet meeting. 

CANADA 
Canada says Delta Variant “Formidable Foe” at Start of Fourth Wave  
Reuters – July 30, 2021  
Canada must vaccinate as many people as possible and cautiously relax public health measures as COVID-19 case numbers creep higher at the start of what could be a fourth wave, the country’s top health official said on July 30. 

INDIA 
India Says it Will Meet End-July Domestic Vaccine Supply Target  
Reuters – July 27, 2021 
The Indian government expects to have around 150 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in August, Vinod Kumar Paul, who heads a federal government panel on vaccines, told a news conference on July 27.  

UNITED KINGDOM 
Pressure Grows on UK Ministers to Outlaw “No Jab, No Job” Policies  
The Guardian – July 30, 2021 
Pressure is mounting on ministers to outlaw “no jab, no job” policies being implemented by companies, amid warnings firms could be hit by a wave of legal action due to claims of discrimination. 

UNITED STATES 
Workplace Vaccine Mandates Reveal a Divide Among Workers  
The New York Times – August 2, 2021 
The tide has begun to turn on corporate vaccine mandates, with large employers including the Walt Disney Company, Facebook, Google and Walmart introducing stricter requirements for employees returning to the workplace. 

POLAND 
Delta Variant Accounts for Over 80% of COVID Cases – Health Minister  
The First News – August 04, 2021 
Poland has breached the 80% barrier for the share of Delta variant coronavirus in new COVID-19 infections, while the Alfa variant, formerly known as the British strain, accounts for a little over 10%, the health minister has announced. 

TOP HEADLINES 

OSHA’s Updated Guidance for COVID-19 in Workplaces 
National Law Review – June 29, 2021 
When the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rolled out its COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard on June 10, 2021, it also issued its updated Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in non-healthcare workplaces. 

Weekly Jobless Claims Total Hits New Pandemic-Era Low of 364,000 
CNBC – July 1, 2021 
First-time jobless claims totaled 364,000 for the week ending June 26, compared with the 390,000 Dow Jones estimate. That marked a new pandemic-era low and a decline of 51,000 from the previous week. 

Employers May Relax COVID-19 Measures in Fully Vaccinated Workplaces, OSHA Says 
HR Dive – June 10, 2021 
OSHA’s updated guidance for all industries encourages employers to grant paid time off for employees to get vaccinated. Employers also should implement physical distancing for unvaccinated and other at-risk workers in communal work areas, including limiting the number of such workers in one place at any given time. 

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 COVID: Outbreaks Emerge Across Country in “New Phase” of Pandemic 
BBC – June 28, 2021  
The escalation in COVID infections has prompted lockdowns in the cities of Sydney and Darwin, as well as restrictions across four states. 

CANADA 
Over 30% of Eligible Canadians Fully Vaccinated as Daily Cases Fall Below 500 
Global News – June 28, 2021  
More than 30%of eligible Canadians aged 12 and over have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while the daily count for new cases on Monday fell below 500 for the first time since Labor Day of last year. 

INDIA 
With Eight Million Shots in a Day, India Tries to Energize its Vaccination Effort 
The New York Times – June 22, 2021 
India administered 8.6 million doses of COVID vaccines on Monday, setting a national record on the first day of a new policy that offers free vaccines for all adults and aims to energize a lackluster inoculation effort. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
The COVID Delta Variant has “Exploded” in the U.K. – and it Could be a Blueprint for the U.S. 
CNBC – June 28, 2021 
The U.K.’s initial response to COVID-19, immunization program and world-class research have all played a part in informing other countries how (and sometimes, how not) to deal with the pandemic. 

UNITED STATES 
Delta Variant Could Become Dominant Strain in U.S. This Summer, CDC Head Says 
The Washington Post – June 18, 2021 
The unusually contagious delta coronavirus variant, first found in India, could become the dominant strain in the United States this summer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky said Friday. 

POLAND 
Poland May Face Fourth Wave of Pandemic in Late August 
The First News – June 29, 2021 
Polish health minister has said that the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic may hit the country in the second half of August. 

TOP HEADLINES 

CDC Experts Discuss Evolving COVID-19 Workplace Safety Rules 
SHRM – May 20, 2021 
How should employers approach workplace safety as they consider relaxing their policies? The CDC guidance takes a layered approach to reducing COVID-19 transmission. 

Jobless Claims Fall Below 400,000 for the First Time Since the Early Days of the Pandemic 
CNBC – June 3, 2021 
Initial jobless claims fell below 400,000 for the first time since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Labor Department reported Thursday. 

OSHA to Review Safety Guidance, Directs Employers to Follow CDC Mask Update 
HR Dive – May 18, 2021 
Until new guidance is complete, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has directed employers to follow the guidelines set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding mask use and social distancing for fully vaccinated workers. 

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’s Economy Booms to Pre-COVID Levels as Consumers, Businesses Spend 
CNBC – June 1, 2021  
Australia’s economy extended its rapid recovery in the first quarter as consumers and businesses spent with abandon, lifting output back above where it was last year when pandemic lockdowns tipped the country into recession. 

CANADA 
Tracking Coronavirus in Canada: Latest Map and Case Count 
The New York Times – June 3, 2021  
An average of 2,699 cases per day were reported in Canada in the last week. Cases have decreased by 48 percent from the average two weeks ago. 

INDIA 
Already Under Massive Stress from the Virus, More Indian Workers Turn to ‘Gig Economy’ Livelihoods 
CNBC – May 13, 2021 
The coronavirus pandemic is shaking up India’s labor force, shifting the focus sharply to gig economy jobs — or on-demand, part-time work given to contract workers. 
 
UNITED KINGDOM 
Return to Offices Drives UK Adult Contacts to 10-Month High 
The Guardian – June 3, 2021 
Coronavirus cases are expected to rise in the coming weeks after daily contacts among adults reached their highest level in nearly a year, scientists advising the government have said. 

UNITED STATES 
COVID-19 Cases Hit Lowest Point in U.S. Since Pandemic Began 
Axios – June 3, 2021 
Nearly every week for the past 56 weeks, Axios has tracked the change — more often than not, the increase — in new COVID-19 infections. Those case counts are now so low, the virus is so well contained, that this will be Axios’ final weekly map. 

POLAND 
Poland’s New Daily COVID Infections Hold Below 1,000 
The First News – June 3, 2021 
Poland’s health minister has highlighted a sustained downward trend in the country’s daily COVID-19 infection rate.