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Survey: Americans start tapping 401(k), other retirement funds as COVID-19…
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementA June poll by American Consumer Credit Counseling, a nonprofit credit counseling agency, reveals an increase in Americans who report having zero confidence in the U.S. economy. The majority — 80% — of respondents say they were impacted by the COVID-19 shutdown. As a result, 22% of respondents say they’ve borrowed from their 401(k) accounts or other retirement savings.
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US payrolls add 1.8 million jobs; jobless rate drops to 10.2%
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementEmployers added 1.8 million nonfarm new hires in July, down from 4.8 million jobs created in June, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. July’s rate of unemployment dropped to 10.2% from June’s 11.1%. July’s numbers indicate the reopening of commerce closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Most major worker groups saw their unemployment rates fall.
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Trump administration throws additional support behind telehealth
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcarePresident Donald Trump signed a new executive order Aug. 3 to expand access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, notably in rural areas. The Trump administration also is extending some telehealth services even after the pandemic public health emergency ends. The order is meant to improve connectivity and directs the government to create a joint initiative within 30 days to improve health communication infrastructure and expand rural healthcare services.
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Practical ways to reduce gender inequality in the workplace
D. Albert Brannen Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementStudies still show that working women are paid about 80 cents for every dollar men are paid. These studies suggest that women are at a disadvantage when it comes to holding higher-paying jobs and that men are generally on more accelerated career paths. This article offers some practical suggestions for actions that human resources professionals can take in their companies to address and hopefully improve this gender inequality.
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What the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act means for small employers
Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been criticized for being too stringent and not sufficiently addressing the longer-term effects of the COVID-19 crisis. As a result, the PPP has been modified to give small businesses more flexibility when utilizing PPP loans and to make it easier for them to obtain loan forgiveness. These changes are reflected in the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA). Here's a non-exhaustive look at what the PPPFA means for small employers.
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Survey: Bitcoin’s intrinsic properties keep propelling it forward
Tim Fries Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhen cryptocurrencies first emerged on the scene, led by Bitcoin in 2009, the FinTech industry was just starting to mature. PayPal was around before that for quite a while, but with a limited country availability, slow withdrawals, and hefty fees. Today, FinTech services such as PayPal, TransferWise, Google Pay, alongside neobanks like Revolut and N26, offer near-instantaneous transfer with very low fees.
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Have we come to the end of predictive policing?
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityLaw enforcement in America is at crossroads. It is under heavy scrutiny for its ongoing brutality, budgeting, systemic racism, and the data-driven prevention tools it deploys. According to experts, the last point is a matter of grave concern because it can exacerbate existing racial and economic biases and quietly erode our constitutional rights.
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COVID-19 and the power of the collective
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareThe coronavirus pandemic has shed light on myriad aspects of the healthcare system here in the United States, including the good, the bad, and the painfully ugly. We have also witnessed the many faces of the public’s appetite — or lack thereof — for a coordinated national response, not to mention the scientific community’s deep dive into the heart of the pandemic’s causes and possible amelioration. If we are to prevail and save as many lives as possible in the coming months, the power of the collective must be more fully harnessed and realized.
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As federal funds for hospitals continue to be used, talks ongoing for more
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareIf there's going to be additional federal funding that provides protections to consumers and the U.S. economy, the list of hopeful recipients is getting a little long. Healthcare providers across the country are making their voices heard through their lobbying groups, essentially begging the Senate to include as much as $100 billion more in COVID-19 relief packages. The American Hospital Association, American Nurses Association and American Medical Association are specifically pressing legislators for the cash.
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Advocacy groups call on Trump, Pence to let public health experts manage…
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentAccording to a July 14 letter from over 20 nonprofit public interest groups, the president and vice president should "immediately step aside from any further role in leading or communicating about the federal response to the pandemic." As Senate Republicans rolled out a new coronavirus relief package, a reporter contacted the White House to comment on the July 14 letter but did not get a reply. Similarly, the president and vice president ignored Public Citizen, which spearheaded the writing of the July 14 letter, as the U.S. death toll surged past 140,000.
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