The coronavirus itself continues to spread.  In the United States, more than 234 thousand cases have been reported.  That’s around a quarter of the cases reported globally.  That number stands at a little more than one million cases.

That said, the virus continues to have a devastating impact on the US and global economy.

The Coronavirus

The Impact of the Economy

In fact, an unsettling record has just been set in the United States.  Unemployment claims have grown by 3,000 percent since early March.  It’s all thanks to the continued uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic.  Since the virus came to the US, business have continued to lay off and furlough workers.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 6.6 million workers filed for unemployment benefits for the first time last week.  When you put that with the previous week’s filings, nearly 10 million Americans have filed jobless claims in just the last two weeks alone.

Rules around unemployment benefits are different in each state, specifically in who can file for those benefits.  The government has waived some of those to make it easier for people to get help.  According to CNN, some of those include independent contractors and self-employed individuals.  Typically they are not allowed to file for those benefits.

Hiring Companies

Despite that, there are companies hiring more workers to help combat the impact of the coronavirus on their respective businesses.

Andrew Seaman, an editor at LinkedIn, has been tracking that data.  Some of the more notable companies hiring include:

• Walmart – looking for 150,000 contract workers for its distribution and fulfillment centers.
• Amazon – looking for 100,000 for fulfillment centers and delivery work
• CVS – hiring 50,000 employees
• Pizza Hut – hiring 30,000 permanent employees to serve as drivers, shift leaders, cooks and managers

Seaman’s entire list can be found here.

Resources Provided

The HR Exchange Network has put together a content hub focused on the coronavirus.  There, we have provided resources for HR professionals as they and their teams continue to deal with the pandemic.  We have information on CDC guidance.  We also have a webinar and podcasts related to the issue as well as some action items for HR professionals.  We also have a piece written from the legal ramifications that could result from actions taken by companies during the crisis.  We continue to add resources so check back often.

Photo courtesy:  Pexels