News
UVa Medical Center staff create virus-battling robot
UVa Medical Center staff create virus-battling robot When inside-the-box thinking doesn’t cut it, you need to get out of it. Staff at the University of Virginia Medical Center threw away convention to find a way to extend the life of personal protective equipment in the face of the highly communicable and deadly virus, SARS-CoV-2. With […]
Shipyard moves to two shifts in bid to reduce COVID-19 risk
Shipyard moves to two shifts in bid to reduce COVID-19 risk Newport News Shipbuilding will move from running three shifts to two as part of its continuing effort to reduce the risk of spreading the new corona virus. The change, which will take effect May 4, will not involve layoffs, spokesman Duane Bourne said on […]
UPDATE: Northam orders recreational businesses to remain closed until May 8
UPDATE: Northam orders recreational businesses to remain closed until May 8 Recreational businesses in Virginia, including gyms and movie theaters, will remain closed under the state’s order until May 8, Gov. Ralph Northam said Wednesday. Northam expanded an executive order issued on March 23 that was slated to expire April 23. Northam said he based […]
The “Small Business Exemption” to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA): Who Qualifies? And What is the Exemption?
The “Small Business Exemption” to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA): Who Qualifies? And What is the Exemption? Many employers are aware that when Congress initially passed the FFCRA, it allowed the Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL) to issue later rules exempting employers with fewer than 50 employees (“small business”) from its […]
Coronavirus pandemic may lead to manufacturing jobs returning to America
Coronavirus pandemic may lead to manufacturing jobs returning to America WASHINGTON (SBG) – With more than 16 million Americans filing for unemployment over the last three weeks, staggering numbers exceed even what we saw during the great recession of a decade ago. The Trump administration now recognizes the need — more urgently than ever for […]
Philip Morris Says No Employee Will Be Laid Off During Pandemic
Philip Morris Says No Employee Will Be Laid Off During Pandemic In a show of deep support for its employees, Philip Morris International (PMI) Inc. announced on April 9 a series of commitments to its employees. The largest pledge is that the company will not terminate the employment of any employee during this crisis period, […]
Grocers seek veto of plastic bag tax, saying reusable bags pose coronavirus risk
Grocers seek veto of plastic bag tax, saying reusable bags pose coronavirus risk RICHMOND — Some supermarkets are urging Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to veto a bill meant to discourage the use of throwaway plastic grocery bags, saying the nudge toward reusable totes could contribute to the spread of coronavirus. The Virginia Food Industry Association […]
Governor to call ‘timeout’ on budget, suspend all new spending, use cash for essential services
Governor to call ‘timeout’ on budget, suspend all new spending, use cash for essential services Gov. Ralph Northam will suspend all new spending in the pending two-year, $135 billion state budget and divert planned deposits in the state’s reserves to pay for essential services in the public health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus […]
Schapiro: Pandemic thwarts progressive advances in Virginia
Schapiro: Pandemic thwarts progressive advances in Virginia In 1931, as the Great Depression erased jobs and pushed families into despair, Virginia’s political boss, Harry Byrd Sr., received some advice from a corporate leader cum confidant: Stand by the status quo. “We must,” tobacco man Billy Reed wrote Byrd, then a former governor and future U.S. senator, “keep […]
Braunlich: Delay these laws to accelerate economic recovery
Braunlich: Delay these laws to accelerate economic recovery Last week the Virginia Municipal League (VML), representing the Commonwealth’s city, town and county governments, urged Gov. Ralph Northam to delay legislation imposing new costs and unfunded mandates on them. They argued that the economic recession and uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic have made both prohibitive. […]