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Amid pandemic, small businesses eye budget realignment

Kevin Reynolds Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Even as Congress and the White House recently approved another $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, many small business owners are feeling it is not enough. Unemployment has reached its highest level in nearly 100 years, and small businesses believe it will be on themselves to stay afloat more so than any federal aid package. "It's probably actually more frustrating today than it was on April 3," Robert Fisher, president and CEO of Tioga State Bank in Spencer, New York, said in an interview with Forbes.

IATA: Airline companies could turn into ghosts

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

New forecasts from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) are painting a bleak picture for airline recovery. According to the IATA's recent updated analysis, which profiled damage wrought by the COVID-19 crisis on the global airline industry, airline passenger revenues are projected to drop by $314 billion in 2020, a 55% drop over 2019. Previously, in March, IATA estimated $252 billion in lost revenues (-44% vs. 2019) in a scenario with severe travel restrictions lasting three months.

Is a new New Deal possible?

Seth Sandronsky Civil & Government

With COVID-19 closing businesses across the U.S., the buying power of jobless workers is plunging. A parallel is the Great Depression of the 1930s. Then, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, spearheaded the New Deal. A series of programs, it expanded the federal government's role in the economy to boost weak demand and revive commerce. Is a new New Deal a possibility, and if so, what would it look like?

When the failing US response to the COVID-19 crisis really began

Patrick Gleeson Medical & Allied Healthcare

Beyond all the political posturing — both Democratic accusations of Trump administration failures and equally fervent Trump administration declarations of triumph and blame-shifting — one thing has largely been overlooked. It wouldn't have mattered who was in charge when it became clear we were beginning a prolonged health crisis early in 2020. The failures to adequately respond began years ago and continued through three administrations, both Republican and Democratic.

The importance of effective law enforcement interactions with deaf subjects

Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

State and local law enforcement agencies are required to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The U.S. Department of Justice has laid down guidelines for them to follow. There have been numerous cases of complaints about a lack of understanding for people with disabilities. It is therefore heartwarming to read about stories where officers have gone above and beyond the scope of their duties to help people with hearing difficulties.

Will kids affected by the digital divide be ready for next school year?

Sheilamary Koch Education

A poll of California parents conducted from March 26 to April 1 showed that a majority fear major educational setbacks for their children due to school closures. As 39 states confirm that schools will stay closed for the rest of the academic year and some begin to discuss closures extending into summer and fall, educators are grappling with how to sufficiently prepare students for next school year. "We are bracing ourselves for an unprecedented, historic academic regression experienced by our most fragile population of students," Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, told USA Today.

President Trump signs Paycheck Protection Program 2.0

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

On April 24, President Trump signed a second Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of $484 billion to aid an economy that is shrinking sharply from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past 35 days, as leisure, hospitality and retail businesses have closed across the U.S., over 24 million workers have filed claims for unemployment insurance. According to the president’s Twitter account, PPP 2.0 includes $310 billion to replenish the small business PPP, $75 billion for hospitals and $25 billion for COVID-19 tests.

How good are your proposals?

Lisa Pafe Civil & Government

Is a winning proposal a good proposal? Some argue that by definition, yes, a win is a good proposal. However, we all know that a proposal can be the winner for reasons unrelated to proposal quality — such as a price shootout. Therefore, when we look back at our win-loss track record, we miss a lot of important data if wins and losses are the only measures of successful performance. As a result, we may reuse a poor-quality proposal or dismiss a losing proposal that has some successful elements.

As CMS delays interoperability and transparency rules, study suggests they’re…

Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied Healthcare

The Trump administration is pausing its previously established deadlines for the healthcare industry to come into compliance with rules prohibiting information blocking and the rule that mandates interoperability. These decisions are the result of health systems currently being overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe. However, interoperability and enhanced information sharing are improving overall healthcare quality, safety, and costs for U.S. patients and providers, a new Surescripts 2019 National Progress Report points out.

ADA updates PPE recommendations for dental practices

Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental Healthcare

To help assist and guide dentists across the nation who are reopening their practices as state mandates are lifted, the ADA issued an updated statement and interim guidance April 18 on the specific personal protective equipment recommended in order to practice during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as guidance on ways to minimize the risk of virus transmission. The ADA is regularly communicating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other relevant organizations to advocate that dentists should be prioritized for PPE as essential healthcare workers.

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