US: 43.9M Cases - 709.1K Dead - 33.3M Recovered
Worldwide: 233.1M Cases - 4.7M Dead - 209.9M Recovered

Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 315  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 423
*Red indicates change in total deaths

Hawaii & Ohio: Most At-Risk States Heading into Fall
State-by-State Vulnerability Guide to Covid-19

Estimating how many people have been neither vaccinated nor infected gives a rough view of which states have the most to fear from another wave of the virus.

Nationwide, 54.9% of Americans have now been fully vaccinated and an estimated 51.6% infected, giving a vulnerable percentage of just 21.8%. (See blue map at top of this column) It may still be that colder weather will bring yet another wave of Covid cases, but most of the country is starting to run out of people with no immune protection whatsoever. The Covid Scenario Modeling Hub, which combines the results of 11 different forecasting models, is currently not anticipating a big resurgence this fall and winter.

Some states still look pretty vulnerable, though. Among them are some of the usual low-vax suspects, but also states with pretty good vaccination rates plus better-than-average success in fending off Covid-19 so far.

Hawaii has the highest vulnerable percentage, at 34.5%. It has a modestly better-than-the-national-average full-vaccination rate, at 57.1%, but fewer than 20% of its residents have been infected, according to covidestim.org. As a result, it faces a less extreme version of what Australia and New Zealand, both considered Covid success stories, are now going through. The state’s governor last month urged tourists to stay away and warned that those who come “will not have the typical kind of holiday that they expect to get when they visit Hawaii.”

It’s certainly not the worst problem in the world to have — among U.S. states, Hawaii has had the second-fewest Covid deaths relative to population, trailing only Vermont. But it’s still a problem. bloomberg.com

COVID-19 "Ravaging Law Enforcement Ranks"
Leading Cause of Death for Law Enforcement

Law Enforcement Line-of-Duty Deaths Up 96% Due to COVID-19
According to preliminary data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), as of December 31, 2020, 264 federal, state, military, tribal, and local law enforcement officers died in the line-of-duty in 2020, an increase of 96% from the 135 officers killed during the same period. In 2020, officer fatalities ranged from automobile crashes to heart attacks and from gunshots to being beaten to death. Of these tragic deaths, Covid-19 related fatalities were the single highest cause of officer line-of-duty deaths in 2020

Of the 264 officers who have died in the line of duty, there were 145 confirmed Covid-19 cases. It must be noted however, as the pandemic rages on, NLEOMF has already identified a significant number of additional Covid-19-related fatalities. Once these cases are confirmed, the total number of COVID line-of-duty deaths will grow significantly. Unfortunately, even with the preliminary Covid-19 fatalities, 2020 had the highest number of law enforcement line-of-duty deaths since 1974.

Firearms-related fatalities were the second most common cause of officer deaths, with 48 officers killed in 2020. This represents a 6% decrease from the 51 officers killed in firearms-related incidents LY. Forty-four officers have been killed in traffic related fatalities in 2020, a two percent increase, compared to 43 deaths LY. During 2020, 172 officers died of other causes. Of these deaths, 10 were physical-related, and 12 succumbed to injuries sustained in the 9/11 terrorists attacks. Additionally, three officers drowned, one perished in a helicopter crash, and one was beaten to death. The largest single cause of death in this category and in the entire report are the 145 Covid-19 deaths where officers were confirmed by their agency.

Los Angeles County health officials have identified hundreds of coronavirus outbreaks at police and fire agencies since the start of the pandemic. They have led to more than 2,500 coronavirus cases. Ten LAPD employees have died from the virus. The LAPD had 37 identified outbreaks, accounting for 1,061 cases, while the LAFD had 75 identified outbreaks, accounting for 553 cases, the data show. Another 18 outbreaks were identified at the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

About 90% of San Diego police officers who responded to a recent survey said they opposed COVID-19 vaccination mandates; 65% of them said they would consider quitting if the city were to enforce such a requirement, scheduled to take effect in November.  latimes.com dailymedia.case.edu nleomf.org

L.A. police, fire agencies hotbeds of vaccine opposition — and coronavirus outbreaks

PD's Nationwide Report Low Vaccination Rates
More than 500 of the 356,000 represented by the FOP have died fron COVID-19
According to information released by the prominent police union.

The release also breaks down the death count by state, reporting that 124 officers died in Texas, 53 died in California and 44 died in New York.

57% of Denver's PD, 50% of LAPD, are not vaccinated. According to Axios, significant numbers of police officers across the country are refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, ignoring mandates and leaning on their unions to back them up. thecrimereport.org

69% Fear Mandate Spurs Turnover - Resignations & Terminations
Almost Half of Organizations Will Institute Vaccine Mandates, Says Gartner Study
"The new federal guidance, as well as the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta wave, have combined to shift executive opinion on vaccine mandates significantly since the beginning of the year.”

Almost half ( 46%) of organizations now plan to institute a vaccine mandate where legally permissible, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

On September 15, 2021, Gartner polled 272 legal, compliance and HR executives following new federal guidance on vaccine mandates for health workers and updated OSHA regulations on vaccine and testing requirements for employees.

“The new federal guidance, as well as the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta wave, have combined to shift executive opinion on vaccine mandates significantly since the beginning of the year,” said Chris Audet, senior director, research, in the Gartner Legal & Compliance practice. “It is likely that we will see a clear majority of firms instituting mandates of some kind by the end of the year, considering that 36% of respondents are still unsure of their organization’s plans.”

The new survey data on vaccine mandates showed that only 17% of survey respondents reported that they will not require vaccine mandates.

No Consensus on Testing Strategy

There is little consensus among executives on how their organizations will address remaining unvaccinated employees and the details of specific testing strategies. Fifteen percent of executives said their organizations will terminate non-compliant employees, with organizations split on whether they will administer some form of on-site testing, utilize third-party testing services, or require employees to be responsible for their own testing.

The polling data also revealed significant concerns among executives about the consequences of new mandates, even as they move towards implementing the policies in greater numbers. Sixty-nine percent of respondents feared a vaccine mandate will spur employee turnover due to resignations or terminations.

Additionally, more than half of respondents feared the impact on company culture and employee morale, and they had general concerns about managing employees who refused the vaccine without an approved exemption.

“Much of their original hesitancy about the drawbacks of such policies remain,” said Audet. “Legal and compliance leaders will need to think through the implications of assuming responsibility for employee health data with related administrative work, along with policies to limit confrontation and disruptions related to non-compliant employees.” ehstoday.com

New Sign Posted on Restaurant Door: "BE KIND OR LEAVE"
Dealing with it straight up and seeing success & Benchmarking with others

Restaurants & Hotels Push Back Against the Uptick in Customer Tantrums

Setting new ground rules during pandemic, going against the adage that the customer is always right

In the weeks since Mr. Sirianni put his sign at the front of the Brewerie at Union Station in Erie, Pa., as well as on Facebook, customers have acted better. While it didn’t eliminate problem customers entirely, it has curbed what had been a mounting display of bad behavior, he says. “Not one has been outlandish or belligerent,” he says.

The note also included a short paragraph saying his employees have been through “hell and back” and deserve better. Which sent a message to staff and they no longer feel like they have to walk on egg shells.

Restaurants and others in the hospitality business have long espoused “the customer is always right” and “all are welcome.” Now, many are rethinking that philosophy thanks to a surge in toxic customers and poor behavior.

Others are choosing a more conciliatory approach, acknowledging inadequate staffing levels and asking for patience, but unapologetic about masking requirements and other public-health measures.

Nearly all hotels, restaurants and other customer-facing businesses are talking with each other to ask what works, what doesn’t and attempting to find some way to improve the situation.

The signs are part of a “Please Be Kind” campaign created this summer by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, which also created signs for break rooms listing mental-health resources for the hospitality industry. wsj.com

The Pandemic's Impact on Work
Remote work is making productivity and innovation harder, says Microsoft study
Microsoft says its US employees spent less time communicating with colleagues outside of their immediate business teams after making working from home mandatory in 2020.

A study of Microsoft employees in the US has concluded that the organization-wide switch to remote working in 2020 damaged communication and collaboration between different teams - while driving up working hours.

A peer-reviewed study of Microsoft's 61,100-plus US workforce found that teams became more siloed and spent less time communicating with those outside of their immediate teams in the months after the software company instructed employees to work from home in March 2020.

The research, which was published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, also found that the exchange of information was stymied by changes in communication methods, with more employees spending less time in face-to-face meetings and more time speaking to each other via instant messaging and email. This meant less information was being shared between colleagues in real time, and more conveyed through less rich, "asynchronous" means. zdnet.com

People in the Northeast could prevent a Covid-19 surge like the one in the South by following these measures, Fauci says

Workers are putting on pants to return to the office only to be on Zoom all day

NLRB challenges Kroger brands' ban on Black Lives Matter buttons

● Retailer Fred Meyer and grocer QFC — both Kroger brands — may have violated federal labor law when they refused to allow workers to wear Black Lives Matter buttons, according to the National Labor Relations Board.

● The board's Seattle regional office told HR Dive it found merit to at least one charge related to the buttons and is seeking a settlement agreement.

● According to a union representing the employees, UFCW 21, the agency found merit to allegations that the employers violated federal law by "1) failing to bargain with the Union over a change in workplace conditions — in this case the practice of allowing the wearing of buttons at work; and 2) prohibiting workers from taking action together — in this case, by wearing Black Lives Matter messages — to protest racism in the workplace and in society, generally." The employers did not respond to a request for comment.

Similar disagreements about workplace attire have cropped up at employers across the country during the past year.

Shortly after police killed George Floyd in May 2020 and the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum, Starbucks prohibited workers from displaying Black Lives Matter messages at work. After widespread outcry, the employer walked back its policy, allowing such attire until it could distribute its own Black Lives Matter shirts.

Whole Foods is facing a lawsuit alleging it engaged in discrimination when it refused to allow workers to wear Black Lives Matter masks.

And just last month, another NLRB regional office filed a complaint against Home Depot, alleging it "unlawfully enforced its otherwise lawful dress code and apron policies" against employees wearing Black Lives Matter attire. hrdive.com

#1 Problem is the Labor Shortage - This Year's Grinch
This will not improve in time for the holidays

Cargo Piles Up as California Ports Jostle Over How to Resolve Delays

U.S. shipping operations remain clogged as ports, truckers & warehouses can't find enough workers or agree on 24/7 operations

Nike Inc. doesn't have enough sneakers to sell for the holidays. Costco Wholesale Corp. is reimposing limits on paper towel purchases. Prices for artificial Christmas trees have jumped 25% this season.

Despite mounting shipping delays and cargo backlogs, the busiest U.S. port complex shuts its gates for hours on most days and remains closed on Sundays. Meanwhile, major ports in Asia and Europe have operated round-the-clock for years.

The American supply chain has so far failed to adapt to the crush of imports as businesses rush to restock pandemic-depleted inventories. Tens of thousands of containers are stuck at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., the two West Coast gateways that move more than a quarter of all American imports. More than 60 ships are lined up to dock, with waiting times stretching to three weeks.

Participants in each link in the U.S. chain-shipping lines, port workers, truckers, warehouse operators, railways and retailers-blame others for the imbalances and disagree on whether 24/7 operations will help them catch up. All of them are struggling with a shortage of workers.

A shortage of labor is also causing significant delays in loading up freight trains, which move up to 30% of all containers to big distribution hubs like Chicago.

"The biggest issue it probably comes down to is labor," said Mr. Boyle, who said his company, like other fleets, is constantly looking for drivers.

30% more volume than 2020 with only 8% more trucking capacity and 25% less storage space. And then you can't find drivers or workers. wsj.com

Biden’s ‘ports envoy’ gets trucks 24/7 access to ports
Biden administration struggles to fix ailing supply chain as holiday season looms
The worst choke point is in Southern California at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where 62 container ships carrying toys, electronics, furniture and other goods lie at anchor waiting for an unloading berth. The floating queue, virtually unknown before the coronavirus pandemic upended global supply chains, has doubled since mid-August.

Onshore, docks and railroad terminals are jammed with shipping containers amid an epic buying spree by companies racing to keep pace with consumer demand. Trucking companies and warehouses complain they can’t find enough workers to keep freight moving, leaving Americans waiting for products such as Honda auto parts, Lands' End clothing, Fancy Feast cat food and Peloton exercise gear.

To unscramble the cargo mess, the White House last month named as its “ports envoy,” John Porcari, a former Obama administration transportation official. Last week, he helped push the Southern California port complex, the nation’s top import gateway, to add night and weekend hours for trucks to collect shipping containers.

Porcari told reporters on Thursday that the move was a key step toward 24/7 operations along the entire freight pipeline. But getting terminals, truckers, railroads and warehouses all to operate on that schedule will not be easy.

Porcari, former chairman of the Maryland Port Commission, spoke days after Wall Street economists warned that the supply ills are escalating. Analysts and industry executives say there is little chance the federal government can untangle the cargo snarl before the financially critical holiday shopping season. washingtonpost.com

More Coverage on Retail's 'Nightmare Before Christmas'

● Expect higher prices & chaos this holiday shopping season

● COVID-19 surge, port delays threaten retailers' holiday plans

● Will the hiring malaise ruin holiday shopping this year?


To Top It All Off
Hitting the Weak Spot

Hackers breached computer network at key US port but did not disrupt operations
Suspected foreign government-backed hackers last month breached a computer network at one of the largest ports on the US Gulf Coast, but early detection of the incident meant the intruders weren't in a position to disrupt shipping operations, according to a Coast Guard analysis of the incident obtained by CNN and a public statement from a senior US cybersecurity official.

The incident at the Port of Houston is an example of the interest that foreign spies have in surveilling key US maritime ports, and it comes as US officials are trying to fortify critical infrastructure from such intrusions. (Read more on the attack in the 'LP Meet IT' column below) cnn.com

Increased Security Risks - Hope There's No Late Night Speed Boat Arrivals
Remote monitoring off satellites?

Costco hires 3 cargo ships for a year and leased thousands of containers for urgent deliveries
The vessels can carry 800 to 1,000 containers and will each make about 10 trips during their one-year lease period

Home Depot, Walmart, and Ikea previously secured long-term vessel charters to bypass ocean delays, which continue to deteriorate. freightwaves.com

New Supply Chain Program Offers Training in Critical, Growing Area for Retailers
WASHINGTON – The NRF Foundation and the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) Foundation today announced the launch of a new Warehouse, Inventory and Logistics certificate for retail employees. The program will be offered as the newest credential as part of the NRF Foundation’s RISE Up skills training portfolio. nrf.com

New York Passes Sweeping Bills to Improve Conditions for Delivery Workers
 

Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Security Dir. job posted for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits in Saint Charles, MO
The Security Director - Loss Prevention & Control is responsible for maintaining secure environment for customers and employees by studying organization operations and executive schedules; establishing internal controls; conducting inspections; preparing and updating security manual; laying out observation and warning systems; gathering evidence; presenting evidence at hearings and trials; directing emergency actions on location; directing staff. indeed.com