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Good news in your job search: Harry, Larry, and the bear

Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk Management

What is North America’s No. 1 domestic issue of most concern to the average person? Politics? Coronavirus? Who will win Super Bowl LV? Nope! The thing that concerns most people is still jobs. Whether you are 18 or 80, you’ve likely never seen it more difficult to find a great job in your field of interest in your lifetime. Lockdowns in various regions of the country, overseas competition, and rapidly changing methods employers use to fill jobs have all made it difficult for good people to find good jobs.

Pandemic vaccines, patents and Uncle Sam

Seth Sandronsky Medical & Allied Healthcare

As the coronavirus pandemic tears through rural and urban America, healthcare workers and others at risk of catching the disease are receiving life-saving vaccines now. Meanwhile, in a new development, opposing views of vaccine policy are front and center in the U.S.' paper of record. First, we turn to the pharmaceutical industry, a powerhouse interest. Thomas Cueni is the director-general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations.

Emergency savings accounts: A growing workplace benefit

Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In a 2020 survey, 34.2% of U.S. workers said it would be very difficult to meet their current financial obligations if their paycheck were delayed for one week, while 34.5% said it would be somewhat difficult. Further, 40% of U.S. households "say they would struggle to cover a $400 emergency expense like a medical bill or car repair," according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). To pay for emergency expenses, some employees end up tapping into their 401(k) or their long-term savings accounts — which defeats the purpose of these accounts. Consequently, a growing number of employers are offering payroll-deduction emergency savings accounts (ESAs).

How will the new administration affect gun laws?

Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

The pro-gun lobby and its detractors each have strong opinions about the issue. America saw a massive spike in gun sales just before the elections. Americans have bought a record 17 million guns this year. Something is different about 2020, though. There has been an onslaught of new or first-time gun owners. They were more active before the elections, with plans to arm themselves if the elections got turbulent. Then there is the pandemic to blame as well.

Managing executive sessions

Robert C. Harris Association Management

Just before adjourning, the elected president said, "I'm going to ask everyone except board members to leave so we can meet in executive session." An executive session is a closed-door meeting when guests and staff are excused. The intent is to give the board space to handle sensitive or confidential issues. In Canada it is referenced as an in-camera meeting. The similarity of the phrases executive session and executive committee often creates volunteer confusion.

Survey: Firms fight to operate during COVID-19

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The breadth and depth of the pandemic’s effects on private businesses has surfaced in new government data collected from July 20 through Sept. 30, 2020. In these numbers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conveys how businesses big and small operated. Spoiler alert: the BLS data on employment, wages, job openings and terminations, employer-provided benefits, and safety and health paints a tough picture of firms fighting to stay afloat. Nationally, 52% of surveyed businesses, or 4.4 million, told their workers to avoid work (paid or not) for some time.

Hindsight is 2020: Putting the year in perspective

Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Admit it. If two years ago someone had walked into your office with a movie script containing half of the things that happened in 2020, you would have laughed them out of there. Or perhaps suggested they needed psychological help. None of us saw this coming. Yes, the infectious disease experts warned we should be on the lookout for a viral pandemic, but they couldn’t tell us how or when this would arrive or the impact it would have on our society. Now that we’re getting close to the end of this tumultuous year, what learning can we take forward for the future?

Washington Reagan National’s perimeter rule to stay

Matt Falcus Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Washington Reagan National (DCA) is one of three airports serving the Washington, D.C., area. Its location close to the downtown area, the Potomac River and government buildings such as the White House and United States Capitol give it a unique and somewhat restricted operation. Always popular with business, leisure and government travelers, owing to its central location, DCA is heavily slot-controlled by the FAA, limiting the number of daily movements. Airlines must also use their slots at least 80% of the time or risk losing them. It is also restricted, since 1966, by a rule limiting the distance over which flights can operate.

Manufacturing sector shows growth late in 2020

Bambi Majumdar Manufacturing

IHS Markit recently released an analysis showing that U.S. manufacturing and services activity is expanding. Following the U.S. presidential election, the first pictures of the state of the U.S. economy look promising. The welcome news of an imminent and successful COVID-19 vaccine has added to the optimistic outlook for the year ahead. The survey showed that the manufacturing sector is showing its quickest pickup since September 2014. It's a rosy and hopeful outlook, though IHS' data does not match every survey on the subject.

US economy gains 245,000 jobs; unemployment rate drops to 6.7%

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

U.S. employers added 245,000 nonfarm jobs in November after 638,000 new hires in October and 661,000 in September, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. November’s unemployment rate dropped to 6.7% from October’s 6.9% and September’s 7.9%. The November federal jobs report reflects an easing of COVID-19 restrictions to slow coronavirus transmission, which have been unsuccessful as local and state governments resume restraints on gatherings of businesses and public places. November’s national nonfarm jobless rate has decreased 8.0 percentage points from an April high. However, November’s rate is 3.2 percentage points higher than February’s figure.

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