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4 COVID-19-related changes that could outlast the pandemic
Amanda Ghosh Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementCOVID-19 is changing the landscape of daily life. While some changes are minor and easy to adopt, changes like working from home create significant shifts in our social lives. Masks, virtual learning, ghost restaurants, and increased use of hand sanitizer are just a few of the pandemic-related changes that could stick around after the health crisis ends.
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Grab this opportunity to finance business growth
Lloyd Princeton Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementYou may have seen mentions in the business news of late to "free money." Perhaps you thought to yourself, "how do I get some of that?" In reality, of course, the money isn’t free. But interest rates are so low right now that, relatively speaking, by traditional lending standards it is practically "free," which is to say that the cost of borrowing is not much more than the cost of the principal. That makes this a great time to raise money to fund business expansion and new ventures.
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Why post-COVID-19 U.S. education will be even less like it used to be than…
Patrick Gleeson EducationWhen COVID-19 first became a national conversation topic, a flurry of articles in major U.S. publications followed proposing what, post-COVID-19, would remain the same and what would be different. There seems to be an assumption that these issues have largely been resolved; while we may not like every change, we at least have a pretty good idea of what post-COVID U.S. education will look like. A previous experience with the interaction of a school system and a disaster this century, Hurricane Katrina, should warn us that we're probably underestimating how extensive and profound those changes are likely to be.
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5 data protection trends of 2020 that will define security next year
Richard Conn Science & TechnologyAs more businesses move online, the field of cybersecurity has grown in importance. Workplace digitalization has led to many changes, including a move to new platforms and strategies. Many companies are adopting a cloud-first strategy, requiring new methods of protecting data. Consumers are more empowered than ever — and they demand transparency and security in how their data is stored and used. Data protection will become vital to an organization’s success.
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How the election will affect manufacturing
Bambi Majumdar ManufacturingManufacturing is a crucial issue for the 2020 election. According to a Morning Consult column, this was supposed to be the year of the manufacturing election. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump have revealed plans to revive the economy and the manufacturing sector. The latter is directly proportional to the well-being of the former. However, when Morning Consult made that prediction, in February, it had a robust and running industry in mind. But then came COVID-19 and lockdowns that brought entire industries to a halt. Yet, manufacturing remains a pivotal factor.
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CMS again expands telehealth services covered by Medicare
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced it is adding 11 new telehealth services that Medicare will reimburse. This is the first addition to the Medicare telehealth services list since May 1, 2020. Per CMS, Medicare will begin paying eligible caregivers who furnish these newly added telehealth services — effective immediately — throughout the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. CMS says additional coverages are part of a push to accelerate telehealth use by removing reimbursement barriers.
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Can employees take time off from work to vote?
Grace Ferguson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementVoters have until Nov. 3, 2020, to cast their ballots in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. With the deadline imminent, employees who haven’t voted already may be wondering whether they can take time off from work to vote. As with many things employment-related, the answer boils down to state or local law and company policy. Federal law does not mandate that employers give employees time off to vote; however, many states do. Depending on the state, the time off may be paid or unpaid.
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Will rapid COVID-19 tests help K-12 schools?
Bambi Majumdar EducationShortly before he was diagnosed with COVID-19, President Trump announced that the federal government would begin distributing millions of rapid coronavirus tests. The goal is to use them to urge faster reopening of K-12 schools. As virus cases continue to pile up, some school districts have announced staggered and hybrid learning modules for fall 2020 and beyond.
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How to choose a health insurance plan for a small business
Amanda Kowalski Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementRunning a small business has a lot of demands, including everything from perfecting your products to fixing an overflowing toilet. But one of the trickiest parts can be finding the right health insurance for you and your employees. Under the Affordable Care Act, companies with 50 or more full-time employees or the equivalent in part-time employees have to provide health insurance to employees and their dependents or pay a fine. Smaller businesses with fewer employees, however, are exempt. So, should your small business provide insurance? That depends on several factors.
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No federal deal yet: What are the consequences of no stimulus?
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementDiscussions for a new relief/stimulus bill fell apart this week, apparently. It began with tumult, as President Trump, infected with COVID-19 and taking a cocktail of drugs, tweeted on Oct. 6 that federal aid for the economic harm from the pandemic will resume after the Nov. 3 election. He then reversed that position, muddying the waters. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin discussed a stand-alone bailout of air carriers facing financial distress and making thousands of job cuts.
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