A
Nation Still Waiting
Election Impact on Retail
Protests/Violence
A Nation Still Waiting - What They're Doing
Post-Election Day, Some Stores Open Amid Plywood, Many Stay Shut
This week hundreds, if not thousands, of plywood-covered stores can still be
found throughout the U.S. in Los Angeles; New York; Boston; Chicago; Portland,
Ore.; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C., and numerous other cities as they covered
their facades in advance of the presidential election for fear of theft and
vandalism. Many stores remained closed Wednesday as the U.S. braced for days, if
not weeks, of uncertainty surrounding the results of the presidential race
between President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden.
Essentially
the whole of
Los Angeles retail remained closed and boarded up on Wednesday, despite
almost no unrest in the city on an election night that,
as expected, saw no winner declared.
While there was one group of protesters in
downtown L.A. on Tuesday
night, it resulted in no public reports of property damage
and none could be observed late Wednesday morning in the area where the
demonstration took place. Nevertheless,
police arrested more than 50 demonstrators from the gathering based on a live
declaration that the gathering
was unlawful and their alleged
failure to disperse, according to a report in the L.A. Times. More than
30 other people were cited
for the same infraction but not arrested.
In Chicago, a handful of
luxury retailers - Vera
Wang, Giorgio Armani and Prada among them - were
temporarily shuttered
Wednesday along Oak Street,
a tony shopping throughway, according to Adam Skaf, a spokesman for the
Magnificent Mile Association.
Having advised retailers to keep property well-lit at night, maintain security
cameras and post a contact's name and number near the door so that police can
notify any damage,
Philadelphia police officials have not offered any guidelines about temporary
closures.
Coverage Continues Here
'Count Every Vote': Protests Over Ballot Tallies Sweep Through U.S. Cities
Calling on election officials to
"count every vote," protesters marched through
the streets of several American cities on Wednesday in response to President
Trump's aggressive effort to challenge the vote count in Tuesday's presidential
election.
In Minneapolis, protesters blocked a
freeway, prompting arrests. In Portland,
hundreds gathered on the waterfront to protest the president's attempted
interventions in the vote count as a separate group protesting the police and
urging racial justice surged through downtown, smashing shop windows and
confronting police officers and National Guard troops.
In Phoenix, about 150 pro-Trump protesters,
some of them armed, gathered outside the county recorder's office where a
closely watched count of votes that could help determine the outcome of the
election was being conducted.
In Detroit, another group of pro-Trump poll
watchers gathered earlier in the day outside a ballot-counting center, demanding
that officials "stop the count" of ballots after the Trump campaign filed suit
to halt the count in Michigan.
Protesters also gathered in Philadelphia, Los Angeles,
Chicago and elsewhere, some of them continuing the protests over
racial justice and policing that have rocked the country since the police
killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.
More demonstrations were scheduled for the coming days.
nytimes.com
Riot declared, National Guard activated in downtown Portland;
Denver police clash with protesters
At least 11 arrests have been made Wednesday evening after authorities
declared that a protest in downtown Portland
had turned into a riot. The riot was declared amid a wave of destruction in the
city, which saw people smash windows of local businesses in the downtown area.
Two different groups rallied in separate locations Wednesday, before marching
into downtown Portland. One group blocked traffic as protesters crossed the
Morrison Bridge. According to Fox 12 Oregon's Brenna Kelly, protesters threw
a molotov cocktail and glass bottles. One person arrested was found to be in
possession of a rifle. Police also shared photos of items that had been
allegedly seized from protesters, which include commercial-grade fireworks,
hammers, and spray paint.
The Multnomah County Sheriff's office announced that the National Guard has
been deployed by Gov. Kate Brown to respond to acts of violence as well as
"maintain public order and ensure community safety."
Meanwhile, caravans of Denver police
officers have deployed pepper balls and clashed with protesters who started a
fire at the intersection of Washington and Colfax. FOX 31 reported that a "handful of arrests" have reportedly
been made. The protesters, who claim to be anti-fascist, carried a banner which
read "Death to Fascim and the Liberalism that enables it" and were heard
chanting "No Borders. No walls. No USA at all," according to video shared by the
Daily Caller.
foxnews.com
Police, protesters clash in NYC as demonstration turns chaotic
Police
clashed with an unruly mob of protesters in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday night
as demonstrators created carnage, set a fire in the street and one even spat
directly in the face of an officer.
The confrontations resulted in the
arrests of 60 people after a
peaceful protest in Washington Square Park took a violent
turn once demonstrators worked
their way through the West Village after 7:30 p.m.
Earlier chants of "Count the vote" were replaced with anti-police sentiments,
inexplicable outbursts at outdoor diners and the setting of rubbish fires.
We have arrested more than 20 individuals who attempted to hijack a peaceful
protest by lighting fires, throwing garbage and eggs in Manhattan," the
department said.
nypost.com
Looting Task Force
NYPD organizes task force to help identify suspected looters
The NYPD has created a task force to investigate looting at city stores
during the summer's George Floyd protests and identify those who took part,
police said Wednesday. The city experienced widespread looting over the
summer at shops in Lower Manhattan and Midtown, including Macy's flagship
store in Herald Square. Part of the task force's charge will be to go back
and identify those looters.
"The NYPD's newly formed Looting Task Force is prepared to investigate any acts
of looting that can potentially occur," Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said
in a
video posted to Twitter. "The task force is equipped with the department's
latest technology and video monitoring software to help them investigate these
criminal acts thoroughly, help identify perpetrators, and bring them to
justice."
nypost.com
National Guard Update: More than 3,600 troops active in 16 states
Minneapolis: More than 600 arrested during anti-Trump march on I-94
DC Election Demonstrations Peaceful for 2nd Night as Voters Await Results
Here Are The Post-Election Protests And Events Planned Around D.C. This Week
Philadelphia Releases Body-Camera Video of Fatal Police Shooting of Black Man
Amid calls
for calm, officials also announced measures to help officers respond to mental
health crises
COVID Update
US: Over 9.8M Cases - 240K Dead - 6.3M Recovered
Worldwide:
Over 48.7M Cases - 1.2M Dead - 34.8M Recovered
Private Industry Security Guard Deaths:
203
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths:
135
*Red indicates change in total
deaths
Hey Washington We Need a Stimulus Package
Pushing the Vulnerable Over the Edge
Winter Without Stimulus Is Double-Whammy for Some Retailers
Election results
may not be clear for a while, but one thing looks certain:
A meaningful stimulus package
isn't looking likely until next year.
That portends an especially troubling winter for retailers.
A
divided government appears likely, and partisan rancor shows no sign of dying
down. That makes bipartisan agreement on fresh stimulus measures look even more
remote. Lack of fresh help from Washington will leave many family budgets
stressed, even as
a resurgent pandemic threatens to keep shoppers out of stores.
Retailers that rely on November and December for at least 20% of annual revenue
include electronics, clothing, department and jewelry stores.
Already, local businesses selling discretionary goods have ceded share to large
competitors with better e-commerce operations.
Of the larger, listed companies, those looking potentially vulnerable
include Signet Jewelers, GameStop, L Brands and Macy's
which all depend on the fourth quarter for at least 33% of revenue. Although
they have the ability to sell online, e-commerce was unable to make up for
bricks-and-mortar revenue drops in meaningful ways for these retailer's last
quarter. All four also have single B credit ratings,
putting them in the "highly
speculative" zone.
The compounding effect
of a Covid-19 second wave and no government intervention seems likely to push
many already vulnerable stores over the edge.
wsj.com
Editor's Note:
We could be facing the worst
holiday sales period in history. Hate to even hint at it. But it's in my
thoughts. Let's hope it's just some private thoughts. -Gus Downing
Perfect Storm is Here
Victoria's Secret, Gap, Ann Taylor, others:
These 6 retailers may be in more trouble than you think
2020 has been an atrocious year for
retailers. The
coronavirus pandemic forced many stores to close earlier on in the year,
which impacted retailers' revenue substantially. And now, months later, the
struggle persists, with many retailers doing so poorly they can't even manage to
keep up with their rent. Here are few retailers
commercial landlords and investors should be wary of.
There's a good chance the economy won't recover until well after the pandemic is
over, and given the way coronavirus cases are surging, it's fair to say that
won't be happening anytime soon. Let's just hope retailers can hold out until
things improve.
usatoday.com
Pandemic 'Spiraling Out of Control'
A Dreadful New Peak for the American Pandemic
The country recorded more than
100,000 coronavirus cases
yesterday-the highest single-day total since the pandemic began.
The United States reported 103,087 cases of COVID-19 today, the highest
single-day total on record, according to the COVID Tracking Project at The
Atlantic. It marks the first time that the country-or any country in the
world, for that matter-has documented more than 100,000 new cases in one day.
The record officially marks what was already clear: As winter nears,
the country's third surge of
infection is dangerously accelerating in almost every region of the country.
This is the reality that the
United States is facing, regardless of who will become its next chief executive:
A deadly respiratory pandemic is
spiraling out of control,
and the number of hospitalized people-and deaths-is certain to rise over the
next several months.
theatlantic.com
More TX Restrictions Coming
Texas Leads Nation in COVID Cases
The Texas Department of State Health Services on Wednesday reported 9,049 more
coronavirus cases - the state's most in a single day since Aug. 4 - and 126 more
COVID-19 deaths.
dallasnews.com
Texas:
Restaurants prepare for possible dining room capacity rollbacks or closures as
COVID-19 cases surge
Last week, rising hospitalizations prompted
El Paso County officials to
order a
two-week shutdown of nonessential services, including in-person dining.
With Dallas County hitting its
highest daily average of COVID-19 cases since July over the weekend and
cases surging around the country,
rollbacks of restaurant
capacity limits grow ever more likely.
On Oct. 13, Gov. Greg Abbott allowed
bars to reopen at 50% capacity with clearance by individual counties, and in
September he allowed
restaurants and other businesses to expand capacity to 75%. The governor has
not since made any statements about possible rollbacks.
dallasnews.com
UK Workers Get 80% Pay Until March
UK Gov. Extends COVID Furlough Scheme Until March 2021
In a major climbdown for the government after multiple changes to its economic
support packages in recent weeks, the chancellor said the
Treasury would continue to pay
80% of workers' wages.
Sunak said it was increasingly clear that the economic effects of the
pandemic would be much longer
lasting for businesses
than just the duration of second lockdown and this
warranted the multibillion
pound increase in wage support.
theguardian.com
OSHA Alert
COVID-19 Guidance on Ventilation in the Workplace
Ensuring adequate ventilation throughout the work environment can help to
maintaina safe and healthy workplace. Employers should work with a heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professional to consider steps to
optimizebuilding ventilation. An HVAC professional can ensure that the
ventilation system is operating as intended. The following tips can help reduce
the risk of exposure to the coronavirus:
●
Encourage workers to stay home if they are sick.
●
Ensure all HVAC systems are
fully functional, especially those shut down or operating at reduced capacity
during the pandemic.
●
Remove or redirect personal
fans to prevent blowing air from one worker to another.
●
Use HVAC system filters with a
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating of13 or higher, where feasible
●
Increase the HVAC system's
outdoor air intake. Open windows or other sources of fresh air where possible.
●
Be sure exhaust air is not
pulled back into the building from HVAC air intakes or open windows.
●
Consider using portable
high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) fan/filtration systems to increase clean
air, especially in higher-risk areas.
●
When changing filters, wear
appropriate personal protective equipment. ASHRAE recommendsN95 respirators, eye
protection (safety glasses, goggles, or face shields), and disposable gloves.
●
Make sure exhaust fans in
restrooms are fully functional, operating at maximum capacity, and are set to
remain on.
●
Encourage workers to report
any safety and health concerns.
For more information, visit
www.osha.gov/coronavirus or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)
Editor's Note:
The #1 Top 'tough guy' weakness is not recognizing or admitting when you're not
feeling well and endangering everyone around you. And certainly not recognizing
and enforcing it on team members either.
NJ Governor Executive Order - COVID Safety Rules
- Investigation & Enforcement
Effective at 6 a.m. November 5, 2020, New Jersey
Effective at 6 a.m. November 5, 2020, virtually all public and private employers
who require or allow employees to be physically present at a worksite must:
List & Legal Interpretation
Whistleblower Complaints Up 30% Since COVID
Preparing For The Proliferation Of Pandemic-Related Whistleblower Claims
As the virus wreaks havoc in the United States with an indefinite increase in
hospitalizations and deaths, the number of Occupational Safety and Health
Administration inspections has surged across the nation. Many of these OSHA
inspections are preceded by a deluge of COVID-19 health and safety-related
whistleblower claims.
We recently summarized a comprehensive report promulgated by the U.S.
Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, which found a massive increase
in whistleblower activity. Specifically, the number of OSHA whistleblower claims
has increased 30% when compared to pre-pandemic statistics. As expected, there
is thus a concurrent spike in whistleblower/ retaliation litigation.
The majority of OSHA violations are comprised of the alleged failure to provide
appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), a lack of proper training
and/or a comprehensive plan for respiratory and illness protection, and the
failure to report hospitalizations of employees for COVID-19.
jdesupra.com
Oh My ... They're Dumping 2,000 Inmates off at
transit hubs
2,258 N.J. Prisoners Will Be Released in a Single
Day
NJ State to Reduce Prison Pop. by 35% by March, Since COVID Start
In a sweeping acknowledgment of the risks of the coronavirus in cramped prisons,
New Jersey will release
more than 2,000 inmates on Wednesday
as part of one of the
largest-ever single-day reductions of any state's prison population.
More than 1,000 additional prisoners will be released in the coming weeks and
months after earning early-release credits for time served during the health
crisis - resulting in a roughly 35 percent reduction in New Jersey's prison
population since the pandemic began ravaging Northeast states in March.
Opponents said they were worried about releasing so many inmates at once and
potentially posing a public
safety risk in communities where they end up.
The mass releases were made possible by a bill that passed with bipartisan
support in the New Jersey Legislature and was signed into law last month by Gov.
Philip D. Murphy, a Democrat, as part of the
first legislative initiative of its kind in the country.
"You're releasing
people because of the pandemic, into the pandemic."
nytimes.com
Skip-Level Meetings - Anonymous Feedback - Active
Listening
Battling Pandemic Blues: How Managers Can Rally the Troops
Work can feel tough for everyone right now, but
the right thoughtful
gestures from the boss can give employees the boost they need
It
could be a project gone wrong, a key colleague's departure, or just life these
days. How are you supposed to rally the troops when you haven't seen them in
person since spring?
How can you read body language and catch fleeting facial expressions when
colleagues are distilled down to Brady Bunch squares on a Zoom call? Instead,
problems seem to fester in our disconnected network of kitchen table offices and
Slack chats.
These are strange times, replete with burnout, distraction and personal
hardships, especially with the adrenaline that marked the early part of the
pandemic long gone.
"We've moved through
fear to this period of endless uncertainty."
Ideas to
use
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California goes big on criminal justice reform, setting a more progressive path
Results
throughout the state
have not been finalized. But on statewide ballot measures and in key local
races, voters backed progressive candidates and policies that promised to
hold police more accountable and shift taxpayer funding away from law
enforcement and toward social services.
California has been a leader on easing the tough-on-crime tactics of an earlier
era, but the results of Tuesday's balloting opens a new front for more
aggressive reforms, such as calls to reduce funding to law enforcement agencies.
They also suggest support among the broader electorate for reimagining public
safety and shifting responsibilities and funding away from police, a process
already being contemplated in L.A., where the
Los Angeles Police Department's budget was cut by $150 million earlier this
year.
A LA County DA Gascón victory would be the biggest win yet in a nationwide
push to elect more progressive prosecutors, and Chemerinsky said it was
one of the more significant criminal justice wins of the election, reflective of
a broad desire to continue reforms.
latimes.com
The Country is Frozen Shut
Consumers are - mostly - putting spending on hold while they wait
for election results
Political uncertainty is creating one more headache for the country's retailers
The country's
post-election state of political limbo is causing many Americans to hit the
pause button on just about every type of purchase during what retailers had
hoped would be an early holiday shopping season.
"Covid-19 is running rampant, there was no vaccine by Election Day and
unemployment is still at grotesque recessionary levels," said Mark Cohen,
director of retail studies for Columbia Business School. "Roll that up in a
ball, add in the vagaries of the election, and it all speaks to a pretty grim
holiday retail season. This is not going to be a banner year for sweaters and
handbags."
Americans spent $2 billion online on Election Day - a 27 percent increase from a
year earlier, but still about 11 percent less than in the preceding two days,
according to Adobe Analytics, which analyzed more than 1 trillion visits to U.S.
retail sites. The group said it expects online sales to dip by as much as $300
million on Wednesday while the country awaited election results.
"Consumer spending is on hold now while the election is being contested," said
Greg Portell, a partner in the global consumer practice at consulting firm
Kearney. "There's so much uncertainty and angst on both sides of the debate that
consumers aren't going to be prioritizing shopping in any way."
washingtonpost.com
Drug Testing Red Tape
More States Legalize Marijuana Use
"In every state where marijuana legalization was on the ballot, it won,"
observed Brett Wendt, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Denver.
The trend toward legalization
is here to stay, he
said, so employers
should consider revisiting their internal policies and seeking the advice of
counsel with any questions or concerns.
In Arizona, Montana and New Jersey-where medicinal use is already
permitted-voters approved recreational use. Mississippi voters decided to
legalize medical marijuana in the state, and South Dakota voters agreed to
legalize both recreational and medical use.
Although all marijuana use is still illegal under federal law,
35 states now will allow
medical use, and 15 of those states and Washington, D.C., also will allow
recreational use.
"Drug-testing
procedures may need to be modified as well,"
Mastroianni said. Under New Jersey law, for example, employers must comply with
certain notification requirements if an employee tests positive for cannabis
use.
"Given the added red tape,
some employers may decide to
stop testing applicants and employees
for the presence of cannabis altogether," Mastroianni noted.
shrm.org
Register Today
ISC East Virtual Event - Nov. 18
The
ISC East Virtual Event is exactly two weeks away! Join our community of
security and public safety industry professionals on
Wednesday, November 18,
2020 for a
complimentary half day event with premier sponsor SIA and in partnership with
ASIS NYC.
Registration opened last week
featuring the prestigious ASIS NYC Person of the Year Awards Ceremony, which now
includes the 2020 Person of the Year Award, the NEW! Healthcare Person of the
Year Award and the 2020 SIA Insightful Practitioner Award.
Register here
Pet Valu Shutting Down 358 Stores
Nielsen IDs 5 Spending Groups During Holidays
Quarterly Results
Canadian Tire Q3 comp's up 18.9%, online sales up 132%, sales up 9.6%
Qurate Retail Q3 revenue up 10%
US Foods Q3 revenue down 10.5%
Fiesta Restaurant Group Q3 sales down 16.4%
Senior LP & AP Jobs
Market
Director, Asset Protection job posted for McLane Company in Temple, TX
The
Asset Protection Director directs and administers security operations and
initiatives to ensure safety and security at all McLane locations. They work
closely with and support the local leadership to ensure the safety of McLane
teammates, guests, and property.
McLane Company, Inc. is one of the largest supply chain services leaders,
providing grocery and foodservice supply chain solutions for coonvenience
stores, mass merchants, drug stores and chain restaurants throughout the United
States. McLane offers excellent career opportunities in its many Distribution
Centers across the country. taleo.net
Director of Security job posted for Gorgo Group in Orlando, FL
Director
of Security plans, organizes and directs all functions required to provide
security services to multiple properties. This position ensures the friendly,
safe and secure protection everyone and company assets in accordance with
applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures. The Director of Security
ensures the smooth and effective operation of the Security department and any
other department as assigned.
linkedin.com
Director of Asset Protectionn job posted by Curtis Food Recruiters in Boston, MA
Are
you a dynamic Asset Protection leader who wants to be able to make key
contributions and have your voice heard? Our client, a world-class grocery
retailer is looking for someone to lead the asset protection team and create and
drive change within the organization. They need a strategic decision-maker and
partner to work cross-functionally in championing programs that positively
impact profits and reduce shrink. This person will also create and lead the AP
strategy and partner on large-scale ORC investigations.
linkedin.com
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