Coronavirus Tracker: May 19

US: Over 1.5M Cases - 92K Dead - 360K Recovered
Worldwide: Over 4.9M Cases - 320K Dead - 1.9M Recovered

U.S. Law Enforcement Deaths | NYPD Deaths: 41
Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 110+
 

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Safety Advice for Reopening:
How to Reduce Your Risks as Coronavirus Lockdowns Ease
So the safest move for most people is still to stay home as much as possible. But if you do go out, there are ways to reduce the risks. Here's what the experts say: wsj.com

Senior LP - AP Job Market Crushed By COVID-19
With virtually no movement in the industry this has become the slowest period in history for every group.

CLEAR Cancels Annual Training Conference
For the first time in our eleven-year history, the National Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail (C.L.E.A.R.) will cancel its annual training conference due to national concerns regarding the COVID-19 public health crisis. We have been closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19, and the unpredictability of the virus, and the fact that there may be a second wave in the fall, make it impossible to plan the event and keep everyone safe.

We want to express our sincerest gratitude to our members fighting on the front lines against this pandemic. From setting up COVID-19 testing sites, securing Ports with cruise ships full of victims, to providing food and necessities to the public, C.L.E.A.R. members are answering the call in communities nationwide.

Aligned with our commitment to provide training to the Law Enforcement and Retail communities, we look to digital opportunities - today, we are very excited to announce our partnership with the Global Retail Crime Summit presented by Auror. d-ddaily.net

Historical Recidivism Rates of 83% in U.S. - Increased Retail Crime
16,622 Inmates Released in U.S. State Prisons

Prisons Worldwide Seek Ways to Ease the Coronavirus Crisis
According to the federal Bureau of Prisons, of the 2,700 coronavirus tests performed across the prison system, "nearly 2,000 have come back positive." That is over 70 percent, suggesting that that there are many more undetected coronavirus cases in the U.S. prison system.

"A total of approximately 16,622 inmates nationwide have been released due to the coronavirus outbreak. The majority were being held on non-violent charges or were deemed to pose no immediate threat to society if released," Fox News explained.

How Will Release Strategy Affect Crime Rates?

This release strategy is likely to result in an increase in crime once current quarantine restrictions are relaxed. The restrictions may result in less of a crime spike immediately following their release, but historical recidivism rates indicate that there is a high likelihood of re-offending. In a nine-year study by the United States Bureau of Justice Statistics, five in six state prisoners - or 83 percent - who were released were re-arrested at least once.

Other prisons and jails around the world are facing a similar crisis. For example, the pandemic has crippled Latin America's prisons, which also are struggling due to gang control, limited financial resources, and overcrowding. Over the past month in addition to the coronavirus pandemic, prisons in Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico have been rocked by riots, gang violence, and mass escapes.

Prisons around the world are facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the coronavirus crisis. inhomelandsecurity.com

Free Mobile COVID Screening App for U.S. Employers

UnitedHealth Group and Microsoft Collaborate to Launch ProtectWell
Protocol and App to Support Return-to-Workplace Planning and COVID-19 Symptom Screening
Now, Microsoft and UnitedHealth's back-to-work screening tool will give employers in the US access to a no-cost solution that could help ensure infected employees quarantine at home to reduce the potential for workplace-based outbreaks.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) have joined forces to launch ProtectWell, an innovative return-to-workplace protocol that enables employers to bring employees back to work in a safer environment. ProtectWell helps employees determine they are safe to go to work, co-workers know their colleagues have been screened, and employers feel confident that their workplace is ready to do business. ProtectWell incorporates Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and the latest clinical research to limit the spread of COVID-19 by screening employees for symptoms and establishing guidelines to support the health and safety of the workforce and workplace.

ProtectWell combines UnitedHealth Group's clinical and data analytics capabilities with Microsoft's technology leadership to help in the next phases of COVID-19 recovery efforts. The ProtectWell app is powered by Microsoft Azure, AI and analytics solutions, and also takes advantage of the Microsoft Healthcare Bot service, which is being used around the world for AI-assisted COVID-19 symptom triaging.

The ProtectWell protocol is supported by a smartphone app that allows employers to offer workers a simple screening tool designed for everyday use. businesswire.com

NACDS Outlines Objectives In Report On Reopening America

Pharmacies: A Vital Partner in Reopening America

To reopen the nation successfully and to suppress future COVID-19 outbreaks, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is urging government actions supporting three key objectives that are crucial for the health of all Americans, and especially for those who are left behind economically and medically. These actions relate directly to testing, contact tracing and vaccines or treatments.


The national organization representing 40,000 traditional, grocery and mass retail pharmacies, with 155,000 pharmacists, lists these steps in a new report "Pharmacies: A Vital Partner in Reopening America." The steps support these key objectives:

• Maximize rapid COVID-19 testing operations across all platforms and venues;
• Support public health surveillance and related contact tracing efforts; and
• Prepare now: accelerate access to forthcoming COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. nacds.com

COVID-19 OSHA Hazard Alert: Being Alerted Establishes Being Aware of Hazard
OSHA Issues Alert for Retail Pharmacies with Suggestions to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace
On May 14, 2020, OSHA issued an "Industry-Specific Alert" for retail pharmacies that provides suggestions employers should implement to prevent the spread of COVID-19. OSHA's Alerts do not have the force of formal regulations, so a failure to implement a specific suggestion cannot automatically serve as a basis for a citation. However, OSHA could use the information in these Alerts to establish that employers know about a hazard in the workplace. Employers that do not implement these specific suggestions could face an OSHA inspection-or citation-for failure to remove a known hazard in the workplace.

Still, the alert generally duplicates recommendations that have previously been suggested by the CDC or already are required under various State Orders. The Alert provides the following suggestions: Read More


The Industry Leader - See Their Support

Walmart Q1 Comp's Up 10% & eCommerce Up 74%
Walmart incurs incremental costs related to COVID-19 of nearly $900 million

Total revenue was $134.6 billion, an increase of $10.7 billion, or 8.6%.

The company's net sales and operating results were significantly affected by the outbreak of COVID-19. Unprecedented demand for products across multiple categories led to strong top-line results. Certain incremental costs negatively affected operating income, including costs associated with enhanced wages and benefits as well as safety and sanitation.

Due to unprecedented variability in the macro environment brought on by COVID-19, the company is withdrawing financial guidance for fiscal year 2021.

COVID-19 Response to Date

"The company's approach to leadership through shared value has never been more evident than it is now. From associates to customers to communities, shareholders and more, Walmart is working hard to make a difference," added McMillon. walmart.com

Read List:  Support for Associates - Support for Customers - Support for Communities

* Walmart, which has about 4,700 stores in the U.S., previously announced it was hiring 200,000 additional employees to keep up with high consumer demand during the coronavirus pandemic. Store hours were cut twice in April and most locations are open from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. local time.

It spent nearly $900 million on expenses related to COVID-19, which include cash bonuses to all hourly associates in the U.S. totaling approximately $755 million.  usatoday.com

They're in Plano Now
Amazon in Talks to Buy JC Penney - News Outlets Are Screaming This

A Penney's deal would accelerate Amazon's apparel and retail strategies

"There is an Amazon team in Plano [Tex.] as we speak," said one source who does business with the web giant. "There is a dialogue and I'm told it has a lot to do with Amazon eager to expand its apparel business - for sure."

Others speculate that Amazon could convert Penney's units to its own high-tech retail format which, with their checkout-free environments, seems most relevant in a socially distancing COVID-19 ravaged society. "This could be a new tech-driven retail model," said the source.

Amazon could also convert some Penney's sites into distribution centers. "Penney's has about 30 freestanding locations with a lot of land, which could be converted," the source said. "They do have some good real estate."

But Amazon isn't the only one kicking the tires of the bankrupt retailer. Some developers are also said to be eyeing Penney's, including the Simon Property Group and Brookfield.

Meanwhile, J.C Penney is signaling its vision for a future built around a shrunken store footprint - what it describes as a plan to streamline by around 30 percent - as well as stronger e-commerce operations.

The 242 store closings listed in their 8k filing yesterday, isn't necessarily a final number, and indicates just the company's "latest thinking on stores as of April 2020," according to a footnote in the filing.

"The approximately 604 future fleet represent the highest sales-generating, most profitable and most productive stores in the network," the company said in the filing. wwd.com

Participate in PCI Security Standards Council's:
2020 - 2022 Global Executive Assessor Roundtable
In 2018, PCI Security Standards Council established its first Global Executive Assessor Roundtable (GEAR) consisting of senior leadership members of payment security assessors. The vision for the roundtable was simple: encourage the exchange of information, and increase payment security, through greater coordination with this key stakeholder group. Specifically, GEAR was designed to gather input on PCI assessor programs and payment security issues from the assessor community perspective. GEAR election period open June 1 - June 26, 2020

What would you want to tell PCI assessor companies that are interested in serving on the Roundtable this year?

PCI Assessor Primary contacts at eligible organizations can nominate senior executives as a candidate for the PCI SSC Global Executive Assessor Roundtable. Learn More

Going Virtual - Video is the New 'Let's Have a Sit Down'
How Are Companies Handling Performance Reviews During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

You can delay formal performance reviews, but don't skip regular check-ins.

Ongoing performance management relies on regular check-ins. In the office that may have occurred once a month or every other week. Levitt encourages her clients to increase these conversations to once per week. The check-ins provide an open forum for employees to share concerns, provide updates and ask questions.

Video rather than phone-based check-ins are preferable. Virtual meeting platforms allow managers to see the other person's facial expressions and encourage a focused discussion.

Recognizing that employees may not be able to achieve 100 percent of their previous workload is important. One company is asking teammates to revise previous goals to those that are realistic in the current situation.

For companies moving forward with reviews, Levitt encourages them to evaluate their procedures and find a way to simplify it. For example, if the review is based on a formal grading system, a shift to a dialogue with a few guided questions may be a better fit for the times, she said.

One company has established talent development channels within Microsoft Teams where it provides articles and resources to support leaders. shrm.org

Worth the Read
5 tips for running a successful virtual meeting
With everything and I mean everything going virtual it's time to invest in your own development. Hey I learned something reading this. And quite frankly the Millennial's have a running head start over an entire sector of workers out there. So with this massive change over to online all the time - all of us need to focus developing our own online skills and tools usage. Just a thought -Gus Downing

Pier 1 Throws in the Towel - Orderly Wind Down of Ops

Bed Bath & Beyond Store Safety Plan

Uber Cutting Another 3,000

Cleveland Clinic & Bureau Veritas Launches Safety Standard for Retail

Office Depot to close more stores in ongoing shift to business services model


Quarterly Results
Walmart U.S. Q1 comp's up 10%, eCommerce sales up 74%, total revenue up 8.6%
   Sam's Club Q1 comp's up 12.2%, eCommerce up 40%
   Walmart International sales up 3.4%

Home Depot Q1 comp's up 6.4%, sales up 7.1%

Kohl's Q1 digital sales up 24%, net sales down 43.5%

 

Own Your Very Own Jim Cosseboom Coffee Mug,
And Support the Loss Prevention Benevolent Fund

You may have seen this famous mug on your LinkedIn feed lately.

Jim Cosseboom, LPC, Director, Asset Protection for Retail Business Services, an Ahold Delhaize Company, has been having some fun while working from home the past few weeks, posting a daily picture online of his coffee mug of the day. Jim has quite an extensive collection, and for those of you connected with him, check out his recent pics on LinkedIn.

And now, for a donation of $100, you can become the proud owner of your very own Jim Cosseboom, LPC coffee mug and help out the Loss Prevention Benevolent Fund at the same time.

The Loss Prevention Benevolent Fund, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity organization, was established by the Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) to honor LP professionals who are injured or killed while conducting the duties of their profession and to assist their families in their time of greatest need. DONATE NOW

The first run of 20 mugs will be sponsored by Tally Retail Solutions Smart Shelf. LPF is looking for solution providers to sponsor the next batch.