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Stay tuned as we continue to count down LPNN's All-Time Top 10 LP Leader
and Top 10 Solution Provider videos. See who's made the list so far here.

Home Décor Retailer Kirkland's Improves LP with Hanwha Smart Cameras
Kirkland's has chosen Hanwha security cameras in an effort to improve security and business operations across hundreds of stores in the U.S. After evaluating its security solutions, the company determined a need to upgrade the analog video surveillance systems in use at existing locations and plan for new stores.

According to Kirkland's, the analog video surveillance cameras that were in place were acceptable, but the retailer desired cameras with wider coverage and better resolution. The amount of time it took to investigate incidents for loss prevention (LP) and personal injury claims also frustrated the LP department.

Kirkland's sought an IP-based solution that could be accessed remotely that would make the LP investigation process more efficient, with a camera and analytics capability, and that provided a clear picture while minimizing bandwidth usage. Working with several systems integrators, Kirkland's chose to deploy an IP video surveillance solution consisting of Hanwha video surveillance cameras managed by Salient Enterprise Video Management Software (VMS). chainstoreage.com

Hanwha Security Cameras Help Protect the Philadelphia Holocaust Memorial Plaza
 

Not Even a COVID-19 Vaccine Will Make Some Consumers Feel Safe in Stores Again

Survey Finds 88% of Americans Now Using Face Masks, but a Surprising
29% Say They May Never be Comfortable Shopping in Stores Again

A new nationwide survey from Fast shows that the vast majority of Americans - 88% - are now using face masks, but 19% want to personally receive a COVID-19 vaccine before they feel safe shopping in stores again, while another 29% say they may never be comfortable buying in person again.

Even as additional businesses are starting to reopen around the country, Fast's survey found that 22% of Americans are shopping more online specifically to avoid wearing face masks in stores. Additional mask usage habits include:

● 58% wear masks in stores
● 51% wear them in crowds where they can't maintain 6-foot social distancing
● 41% wear masks when required by a business or government
● 35% wear them every time they go outside
● 24% wear masks at work
● 10% never wear a mask
prenewswire.com

Survey: Cleaning is key to making consumers more likely to visiting stores again
Consumers ranked frequent cleaning and sanitizing as the top (66%) measure that would make them more likely or more comfortable with visiting physical spaces in a survey conducted by the International Council of Shopping Centers. It was followed by having more hand sanitizer stations and/or disinfecting cloths available for shoppers (62%); seeing staff wear gloves and/or masks (49%); requiring staff/employee training on hygienic protocols (48%); implementing measures that facilitate in-store social distance (48%); and putting in place new occupancy limits (44%).

Other measures that consumers said would make them more likely to visit reopened stores were new stricter government regulations and health standards, including inspections (41%); having customers screened before they can enter, such as a temperature check (31%) and greater reliance on technology that reduces human-to-human interaction or having to touch things (31%). chainstoreage.com

Study: Shoppers Ready To Buy Apparel But Don't Feel Safe Trying It On As Stores Reopen

Study Finds 2 out of 3 Americans Say They are Not Comfortable Returning to the Workplace Right Now, and Nearly Half Believe We Will 'Never Get Back to Normal'


State AGs ask Amazon to provide data on worker deaths, coronavirus safety
A group of 13 attorneys general from U.S. states and territories are calling on Amazon to provide data on the number of workers who have tested positive or have died from the coronavirus.

The group, led by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey on Tuesday requesting a state-by-state breakdown of workers who tested positive or died from the virus at companies' facilities.

So far, Amazon hasn't shared how many workers have died from the coronavirus nationwide. It has also declined to provide a total number of workers who have tested positive for the virus at its facilities.

There are four known cases of Amazon warehouse workers who have died from the virus, as well as reports of at least one Whole Foods employee who died from the disease. Amazon employees have attempted to keep an unofficial tally of confirmed and unconfirmed cases nationwide, with one employee Reddit group estimating at least 400 employees have contracted the coronavirus.

In the letter, the group acknowledges that Amazon has taken a wide range of steps to better protect workers at its facilities, but "such policies are only as effective as compliance with them" at individual sites. cnbc.com

As Trump urges reopening, thousands getting sick on the job

Top 15 infected U.S. counties per-capita all home to meatpacking plants and prisons

Even as President Donald Trump urges getting people back to work and reopening the economy, an Associated Press analysis shows thousands of people are getting sick from COVID-19 on the job.

Recent figures show a surge of infections in meatpacking and poultry-processing plants. There's been a spike of new cases among construction workers in Austin, Texas, where that sector recently returned to work. The developments underscore the high stakes for communities nationwide as they gradually loosen restrictions on business.

"The people who are getting sick right now are generally people who are working," Dr. Mark Escott, a regional health official, told Austin's city council. "That risk is going to increase the more people are working."

Austin's concerns will likely be mirrored in communities nationwide as the reopening of stores and factories creates new opportunities for the virus to spread.

Of the 15 U.S. counties with the highest per-capita infection rates between April 28 and May 5, all are homes to meatpacking and poultry-processing plants or state prisons, according to data compiled by the AP. apnews.com

Calif. Details Plan For Reopening Restaurants, Retail
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday released guidelines for dine-in restaurants, malls and other establishments in counties that have cleared the state's coronavirus benchmarks to begin reopening.

The impacted establishments, which also include offices where workers can't telecommute and retail stores, can begin reopening if their county has contained the outbreak through testing, but the businesses will be required to follow a slew of state-implemented guidelines.

The businesses will be required to create workspace-specific plans for dealing with COVID-19, hold employee trainings, provide temperature and symptom screenings for workers, follow social distancing guidelines and enact specific cleaning protocols, Newsom said.

For retail locations, the state said shops must "implement measures to ensure physical distancing of at least six feet between workers and customers. This can include use of physical partitions or visual cues (e.g., floor markings, colored tape, or signs to indicate to where workers and/or employees should stand)." law360.com

California offices can open with modifications, malls can offer curbside pickup, governor says

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti Says All Retail Will Be Allowed To Reopen For Curbside Pickup This Week

Retailers & Property Owners are Developing Frameworks for Reopening Safely
Retailers and developers are beginning to prepare to reopen their locations. A number of big players in the last few days have announced location reopening strategies.

Simons Property Group, which owns around 200 malls and outlet centers, announced plans to open half of its locations over the next week. Simon published a ten-page protocol about how it's tackling and strategizing its reopening. It provides definitions of key terms, as well as a list of potential vectors and exposure points. In terms of implementation, it approaches it via three prongs: what it, as a developer, is doing to provide a less risky environment, what retail stores must do and what customers must do.

The Washington D.C.-based developer Peterson Companies provides a similar framework, albeit less exhaustive, for reopening its shopping center locations. The developer did focus on one especially thorny issue: "Our Code of Conduct has been updated to reflect the new safety protocols and our security teams will be trained to diplomatically approach customers who are not complying with updated codes of conduct," the company wrote.

For most retailers, the way forward remains unknown. While some are pushing for locations to reopen, best practices have yet to be codified. Currently, the largest players are drafting documents to try and showcase they're proceeding with the utmost caution while. modernretail.co

Beyond the Call: How companies have stepped up during COVID-19

LinkedIn Lists Retailers Among 20 Firms Leading Through the Pandemic

The Kroger Co. - Cincinnati, Ohio
As many larger companies begin preparations to reopen safely, grocery store chain Kroger has had to figure out in real-time how to operate in the time of COVID-19. While many industries saw demand shrivel in March, grocery stores saw the opposite: Kroger's same-store sales soared 30%. In late April, CEO Rodney McMullen offered a blueprint for operation during the pandemic based on the company's experiences. Inside the 17-page blueprint are actions and lessons that Kroger has applied this spring to protect employees, customers and the communities it serves, from strategies for enforcing social distancing to modifying store hours to administering regular health checks. The plan also includes a round-up of lessons Kroger has learned from watching its Asian business partners reopen.

Starbucks - Seattle, Washington
While some types of work are well-suited to a remote approach, others are not. Take cafes and restaurants. Among large employers, Starbucks is just one example of a company that has taken significant steps to protect its workers. Through May 3, employees were given the option to stay home with pay, even if their location was open. Additionally, anyone exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19 could choose to stay home through the end of May, with pay. Starbucks also introduced service pay, an additional $3/hour for employees who chose to work their shifts through May 31. Employees can also apply for hardship grants through the company's CUP Fund, which supports employees. As stores re-open across the country, CEO Kevin Johnson has offered a strategy for how to do this safely; among other things, all employees are required to wear masks.

See the other 18 businesses here

Senators Say Safety Regs Must Precede COVID-19 Biz Immunity
Republican and Democratic senators agreed at a panel hearing Tuesday that the federal government needs to issue enforceable workplace standards before any federal law can be passed that would shield businesses from civil lawsuits in connection with worker and customer COVID-19 infections.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to discuss a possible liability shield for businesses - a topic that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said will be a top Republican priority for the next coronavirus relief bill - senators on both sides of the aisle expressed concerns that there is no de facto standard of care since safety guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are merely recommendations that are not enforceable. law360.com

Houston, TX: Grocer HEB Sued Over Shopper's COVID-19-Related Injury
Texas grocery giant HEB has been sued over a safety measure meant to protect its own employees from exposure to the coronavirus, as a customer alleges the shoddy installation of a protective screen is to blame for her serious foot injuries. HEB LP was named in the lawsuit filed in Harris County district court on Friday by shopper May Homsy, who is seeking as much as $1 million in damages for injuries stemming from the incident where the heavy-duty plastic screen fell on her left foot. law360.com

Calif. Retailer Sues Insurance Co. for Denied COVID-19 Biz Interruption Claims
San Francisco-based children's clothing boutique Mudpie Inc. has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of California-based retail stores against Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America saying the small businesses were wrongfully denied coverage for losses resulting from government-mandated public health shutdowns related to COVID-19 despite having paid premiums for business interruption policies. insurancejournal.com

Expert Analysis: Reopening Businesses Face Thorny Customer-Facing ADA Issues
As businesses start to reopen in various parts of the country, they are implementing social distancing and other mitigation measures aimed to curb the spread of the virus among their employees and customers. Businesses need to consider how these new measures impact customers with disabilities and adjust them accordingly.

Screening Customers for Fever | Enforcing Social Distancing Guidelines | Face Masks and Lip Reading | Assisting Customers with Disabilities While Social Distancing | Accessible Seating | Accessible Digital Alternatives | chainstoreage.com

Former Ethics Officer Accuses Walmart of Wrongful Termination
Following Bribery Probe
A former in-house lawyer for Walmart Inc. has accused the retail giant of drumming up false claims of child abuse and inappropriate workplace conduct to undermine his work investigating bribery allegations in Mexico.

The claims by Shane Perry, a former Walmart ethics officer, are part of a wrongful termination lawsuit he filed last week in Arkansas state court. In the complaint, Mr. Perry says he was pressured to change a memo on his findings on allegations that Walmart had violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, an antibribery law, in its efforts to rapidly expand in Mexico.

Walmart, however, said the corporate lawyer was fired in 2017 for violating company policies.

Walmart last year agreed to pay $282 million to resolve a yearslong investigation by U.S. authorities into the bribery allegations, which became public as a result of a 2012 New York Times investigation. The probe into the company had later expanded to its operations in other countries, including Brazil, China and India. wsj.com

Neiman's & Saks Fifth Merged? Hedge Fund Pushing

Penney's Could File Chapter 11 Friday & Has Funding With Strings

Walmart to pay another $390M in worker bonuses, bringing total to $935M

Tailored Brands, parent of Men's Wearhouse, opening 300 stores by end of May

Publix joins prescription delivery trend as pandemic continues

REI to offer curbside pick-up as it starts reopening stores

Patagonia, Quick to Close, Could Be Last to Reopen

An Open Letter from the CEO of Restaurant Brands International: Reopening Dining Rooms Requires Both Confidence and Comfort

FMI Asks Congress for Sensible Liability Protection

Murfreesboro, TN: Kroger Manager Dies from COVID-19

Mentor, OH: Teen Fired From Meijer After Reporting Shoplifter's License Plate Number

Twitter Will Allow Employees To Work At Home Forever