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
 

Germany Hospitality & Entertainment Industries March in Berlin
Protesting New Virus Restrictions & Possible Business Lockdowns

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