Why Trump's call to restart the economy in April is being derided as 'totally nuts'

Javier E. David Editor focused on markets and the economy,
Yahoo Finance•March 24, 2020


‘This idea we’re going to restart everything soon enough in a week or so is totally nuts’: Nouriel Roubini

Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics at NYU Stern, joins Yahoo Finance's On The Move panel to discuss how the coronavirus outbreak is impacting the markets and what investors should expect in the coming weeks.


The virtual shutdown of the U.S. economy is barely a week old, yet the debate over when to restart is already in full swing — even as coronavirus cases surge.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected nearly 400,000 people worldwide. With over a dozen U.S. states ordering citizens to remain indoors and shutting down establishments deemed non-essential, economists think the world’s largest economy has already been thrust into a deep recession.

The nearly $2 trillion stimulus package being hammered out in Washington is meant to help stave off the mounting economic carnage, but millions of jobs are still expected to be lost in the coming weeks.

The damage — both economic and political — has stoked a widening debate over when the U.S. can return to a semblance of normalcy. With his re-election chances likely to be defined by a recovery from the crisis, President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for the economy to be restarted by April 12.

“You’re basically turning off the country…that’s never been done before,” Trump told a Fox News town hall.

“Its been very painful for our country. It’s been very destabilizing for our country…but we have to go back to work,” the president added.
‘Totally nuts’

Yet public health experts and Wall Street economists are pushing back against the suggestion that the U.S. economy can restart in a matter of weeks, warning about the risks posed if infections continue to surge. There are now nearly 50,000 domestic COVID-19 cases, with New York considered an epicenter of new infections.

Graphic by David Foster/Yahoo Finance

“The experience with China has been you shut down everything for 2-3 months, the number of [new] cases goes to zero, and then you restore economic activity gradually, and that’s the right thing to do,” economist Nouriel “Dr. Doom” Roubini told Yahoo Finance in an interview on Tuesday.

However, Roubini warned that accelerating that timetable would be a recipe for disaster — arguing that the U.S.’s caseload could easily top 500,000 within a month given the rapidly accelerating infection rate.

“This idea we’re going to restart everything soon enough in a week or so is totally nuts,” the famed economist said. “It’s the worst thing you can do, it’s going to be a nightmare and it’s going to imply that [the U.S.] ends up into a depression.”

He added: “Think about what’s going to happen to this economy if you don’t shut down everything for a month or two, whatever it takes, to stop this contagion.”
‘Messy, ugly debate’

The question of the appropriate timetable to normalize activity has been broached by an increasing number of people — including New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, former White House Economic Advisor Gary Cohn, and ex-Goldman Sachs chief Lloyd Blankfein.

“Policymakers have taken bold public health & economic actions to address the coronavirus, but businesses need clarity,” Cohn posted on Twitter Sunday.



Extreme measures to flatten the virus “curve” is sensible-for a time-to stretch out the strain on health infrastructure. But crushing the economy, jobs and morale is also a health issue-and beyond. Within a very few weeks let those with a lower risk to the disease return to work.

— Lloyd Blankfein (@lloydblankfein) March 23, 2020

“Otherwise they will assume the worst and make decisions to survive. Determining a future & appropriate end date for the economic shutdown is about balancing the enormous suffering from COVID-19 with the enormous suffering that unemployment and economic hardship create for the mental & physical health of our citizens,” he added.

Meanwhile, in spite of the president’s wishful thinking, companies are planning as if the current environment is here to stay for the time being. Accenture (ACN) CEO Julie Sweet, whose consulting firm employs 505,000 people worldwide and offers management advice to 6,000 client organizations, told Yahoo Finance as much.

“What we're trying to do is put in the infrastructure and the connections for our people and with our clients as if it may last for a very long time,” Sweet told Yahoo Finance Editor-in-Chief Andy Serwer on Tuesday.

Given the unprecedented scale of the U.S. shutdown — and dire warnings of a steep drop-off in employment and economic growth — the debate is becoming increasingly polarized.

It’s part of what David Zervos, Jefferies’ top macro strategist, predicted would become a “really political, nasty, messy ugly debate about what to do next” – and when to do it.

“It’s about getting people back to work in a safe and productive environment,” Zervos told Yahoo Finance.

“It’s testing, its cures, its vaccines, it’s all the things we’re hoping for and as much money is going to be thrown at that should be thrown at that, I think that’s probably far more long-term valuable investment than saving a small number of jobs and companies that may be on the brink of bankruptcy or leverage,” he added.

Teamsters Want Stimulus Bill To Address Safety For All Workers

Union Says Those Working Outside of Health Care Industry Must Also Be Protected

PR Newswire•March 24, 2020

Teamsters Want Stimulus Bill To Address Safety For All Workers

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2020

Union Says Those Working Outside of Health Care Industry Must Also Be Protected

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters are raising concerns that coronavirus-related stimulus legislation still being negotiated in Congress is not addressing the health and safety of workers across industries.

International Brotherhood Of Teamsters. (PRNewsFoto/International Brotherhood of Teamsters)

Whether it's those in food processing, drivers who transport goods to market, those who stock the shelves, or cashiers who handle the sales, these are critical workers who need to be on the job right now. They, and others like them, want the federal government to outline standards that would ensure their personal safety in the midst of this COVID-19 crisis.

Of course, there are many others who are still working at this time and whose health must be considered, including public sector, sanitation and medical waste workers who are putting their lives at risk by doing their jobs during this pandemic.

"We understand during this outbreak that the welfare of health care workers is paramount," Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said. "But we are concerned that other essential frontline workers will be left out of mandates for federal OSHA guidance and funding for personal protective equipment (PPEs)."

The Teamsters have called on the Administration to issue a comprehensive Temporary Emergency Standard from OSHA to provide guidance and compel action from employers to keep members safe on the job, and the unions need funding for PPEs for these workers as well. The union is also urging Congress and the Administration to take swift action to address these critical health and safety needs in the stimulus bill currently being debated.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Ted Gotsch, (703) 899-0869
tgotsch@teamster.org
Cision

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teamsters-want-stimulus-bill-to-address-safety-for-all-workers-301029437.html

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Cleaner hands, bluer skies: what has coronavirus done for us?

Sara HUSSEIN,AFP•March 24, 2020



An empty bench silhouettes against the evening sky in Emden, northern Germany, as many activities slowed down or came to a halt to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus
An empty bench silhouettes against the evening sky in Emden, northern Germany, as many activities slowed down or came to a halt to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus (AFP Photo/Patrik Stollarz)

Deaths, economic meltdown and a planet on lockdown: the coronavirus pandemic has brought us waves of bad news, but squint and you might just see a few bright spots.

From better hygiene that has reduced other infectious diseases to people reaching out as they self-isolate, here are some slivers of silver linings during a bleak moment.

- Wash your hands! -

The message from health professionals has been clear from the start of the outbreak: wash your hands.

Everyone from celebrities to politicians has had a go at demonstrating correct technique -- including singing "Happy Birthday" twice through to make sure you scrub long enough, and hand sanitiser has flown off the shelves.

All that extra hygiene appears to be paying off, at least in some countries, including Japan, where the number of flu cases appears to be sharply down.

Japan recorded 7.21 million cases by early March -- usually around the peak of the flu season that runs until May.

That was far below figures for previous years, including the 21.04 million infections seen during the 2017/18 season.

"We estimate that one of the reasons behind it is that people are now much more aware about the need to wash hands... given the spread of the new coronavirus," Japanese health ministry official Daisha Inoue told AFP.

- Carbon curbs -

Factory shutdowns, travel bans and a squeeze on demand spell economic disaster, but it isn't all bad news for the environment.

In the four weeks to March 1, China's CO2 emissions fell 200 million tonnes, or 25 percent, compared to the same period last year, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

That's a decline equivalent to annual CO2 emissions from Argentina, Egypt or Vietnam.

The slowdown in China also saw coal consumption at power plants there down 36 percent, and the use of oil at refineries drop by nearly as much.

Air travel is also grinding to a virtual halt, achieving at least a short-term drop-off in emissions from a highly polluting industry.

And there have been other environmental benefits, including crystal-clear waters in Venice canals usually choked with tourist-laden boats.

Unfortunately, experts say the cleaner air may be short-lived.

Once the health crisis is over, experts expect countries will double down to try to make up for lost time, with climate change concerns likely to be sidelined in a race to recover economic growth.

- Save the pangolins -




The source of the coronavirus remains in question, but early tracking focused on a market in China's Wuhan where a variety of live wildlife was on sale for consumption.

A number of animals, including bats and the highly endangered pangolin, have been identified as possible culprits for the virus.

As a result, China in February declared an immediate and "comprehensive" ban on the trade and consumption of wild animals that was welcomed by environmentalists.

Beijing implemented similar measures following the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s, but the trade and consumption of wild animals, including bats and snakes, made a comeback.

This time the ban is permanent, raising hopes that it could end the local trade in wildlife.

"I do think the government has seen the toll it takes on national economy and society is much bigger than the benefit that wild-eating business brings," said Jeff He, China director at the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Reports linking the virus to the pangolin have also scared off would-be consumers of the scaly mammals elsewhere, with bushmeat vendors in Gabon reporting a plunge in sales.

- Apart, together -

One of the most difficult aspects of the stringent lockdowns imposed to slow the spread of the virus has been loneliness, with families and friends forced to endure weeks or even months apart.

But some people have found the measures are creating a sense of community spirit, and prompting them to make more of an effort to check in with family and reconnect with friends.

In Colombia, where a nearly three-week period of self-isolation is now in place, 43-year-old Andrea Uribe has organised everything from group exercise classes to family talent shows using video messaging programmes including Zoom.

"I have called my parents more often, I have talked to friends that I usually don't talk to... I have organised Zoom meetings with friends in multiple countries," Uribe, who works in development, told AFP.

"It is wonderful to be forced to be there for one another. It has made me more creative. It just shows that we need to be present in people's lives."

No Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Why it matters to NBC

Meg James, Stephen Battaglio,LA Times•March 24, 2020

The new National Stadium built for the now-postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 

(Matt Roberts / Getty Images)

The delay of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo until 2021 due to the spread of the coronavirus scuttles one of the biggest live-TV events of the year and delivers a major blow to NBC.

The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government, citing the need "to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community," announced the postponement in a joint statement Tuesday.

The decision will cause a significant financial hit —and much disruption — for the Olympics TV rights holder, NBCUniversal, which earlier this month said it had already sold 90% of its commercials for the Games, which had been scheduled to run from July 22 to Aug. 9. The $1.25 billion the company collected so far was a new record, surpassing the total for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janiero.

"This creates a world of hurt for NBC," said Rick Burton, a sports management professor at Syracuse University and a former executive with the U.S. Olympic Committee. "What was already a complicated year for the company just got a lot worse."

The Games are so important to NBCUniversal that six years ago it committed $12 billion to extend its partnership with the International Olympics Committee through 2032. Every two years, NBCUniversal has used its 17 days of Olympics coverage to forge relationships with key advertisers and millions of viewers. Its Olympics coverage also crushes its TV competitors in the ratings.

The New York-based media company, which already had advance teams in place in Japan, has been making contingency plans in recent days as it has become clear that holding the Games in July would be untenable because of the virus outbreak, which has forced the cancellation of numerous sporting events, concerts, and film and TV productions.

“Given the unprecedented obligation we all face to contain COVID-19 globally, we fully understand the decision made by the IOC, Japanese government, and the health organizations they are working with to postpone the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics until 2021," NBC said in a statement. "We have no doubt that the IOC and Tokyo Organizing Committee will put on an exceptional Games next year, and that the Olympic flame will once again unite the world and provide a light at the end of this tunnel.”

Four years ago, NBCUniversal generated $1.6 billion in revenue from the Rio Games, including $1.2 billion in ad revenue, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence's Kagan unit. NBCUniversal's commercial sales were on pace to be 6% higher this year.

NBC Sports typically sends an army of 2,000 people to an Olympic site to handle its live coverage. Many of them are freelance employees who specialize in working on live events and will essentially be out of work this year due to the postponement.

The network only has a small number of personnel on the ground in Tokyo now as the Games were still four months off, according to a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to comment.

This year, NBCUniversal was counting on the Olympics to bring in a huge ad haul and also launch its upcoming streaming service, Peacock. The nationwide roll-out of the ad-supported service was scheduled for July 15, just days before the opening ceremony in Tokyo.

The company looked to capitalize on the intense interest surrounding the marquee event to promote Peacock. After all, what better way to recruit subscribers to a new streaming service than with hundreds of hours of unique programming, including niche sports?

NBCUniversal also was banking on advertisers spending heavily to promote their products on Peacock because other streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ do not accept commercials.

"NBC is losing that promotional window for Peacock and also for its new fall season programming," said Jon Swallen, chief research officer for Kantar Media, which tracks ad spending. "It's a blow in the short term because that July-through-August period is typically soft for advertising. Every four years when the Summer Olympics come around, it's a huge windfall for NBCU."

Earlier this month, Brian Roberts, the chairman and chief executive of NBCUniversal's parent, Comcast Corp., said during an investor conference that the company was "full steam ahead" in planning for the Olympics, but it had insurance to cover its expenses in case the Games were to be canceled.

"There should be no losses should there not be an Olympics," Roberts said at the Morgan Stanley media conference in San Francisco. But he noted there "just wouldn't be a profit this year."

But for NBC's sales team and advertisers, the postponement adds to the economic uncertainties due to the U.S. shutdown of nonessential businesses. It will likely mean renegotiating contracts, and prompt advertisers to re-calibrate their spending plans. The IOC did not specify when in 2021 that it hoped to stage the Games, so it will be difficult for both sides to make concrete plans.

"We don't even know when the Games will be played in 2020, or if they will be played," Burton said. "We don't even know if the coronavirus will be conquered or eradicated by then, or if they will have developed a vaccine. You may see continued push-back in other ways such as athletes saying they still don't want to compete."

All of the uncertainties make it difficult to plan, and advertisers also are reeling.

"It's a huge disruption," said Nancy Smith, founder and chief executive of the consulting firm Analytic Partners. "Many advertisers look to events like the Olympics to drive awareness for new product launches and also promote back-to-school spending."

Some advertisers may demand that NBC "make good" on their commitments by providing commercial time in other programming. But that, too, could become problematic because NBC's television productions have been shut down and network executives already are wondering how they will cobble together a slate of new scripted programming for the fall. And there is expected to be less available advertising time in the fall in the run-up to the November elections.

In addition, major advertisers are already worrying about the prospect of a recession, so the Olympics' delay could prompt some advertisers to hold onto their dollars.

The Olympics have become a more valuable property in recent years. Even in the fragmented TV environment, it still delivers two full weeks of programming with large audiences who watch live, while streaming services have cut into traditional viewing of dramas and sitcoms, which viewers can watch on their own time.

In 2016, NBCUniversal fanned out its coverage, placing marquee competitions on the NBC broadcast network and eight cable channels, including the USA Network and the Golf Channel, according to Kantar Media's Swallen. "They broadcast more than 2,000 linear hours of programming," Swallen said.

That's a big programming hole to fill.

New York-based Discovery Communications, which has the rights to broadcast the Games in Europe, also must shift gears. "We will continue to develop our products and offerings to best serve our customers and marketing partners in 2021," Discovery said in a statement.

Before the announcement of the delay, Comcast filed a statement with the Securities Exchange Commission, saying the coronavirus outbreak will adversely affect its financial performance.

The filing noted that the Philadelpia-based company had closed its theme parks, delayed theatrical distribution of films, shut down film and TV production and seen the cancellation of sporting events on its networks.

"The interruptions will materially exacerbate what was an already a deteriorating economic environment and advertising market in the U.K. and Europe in 2019," the filing said.

Comcast shares closed up 1.4%, or 47 cents, to $34.64 amid a broader market rally. Comcast shares are down 23% this year.

Thanks to Pandemic, Tokyo 2020 Olympics Put Off to Next Year

Jake Adelstein,The Daily Beast•March 24, 2020

Kazuhiro Nogi/Getty

TOKYO—Japan finally has postponed the ill-conceived, infernally hot, and extremely hazardous Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics scheduled for July. And this may be the first time the coronavirus pandemic actually has saved lives.

On Tuesday evening, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach held an elaborately staged teleconference, ostensibly to discuss how to handle the Olympic Games in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.


In fact, it was a foregone conclusion that the Olympics would be canceled or postponed once Canada and Australia both made it clear they would not send athletes to the games.

In a roundabout rebuke to the Olympic-obsessed Abe and Tokyo’s Governor Yuriko Koike, the Canadian Olympic Committee said flatly on Monday that, “with COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards those games.” Australia followed suit. And others were expected to do the same, although President Donald Trump, as usual, prevaricated, saying the decision would be up to Abe.
Shortly after this, Abe hinted to Japan’s parliament for the first time that the games might be put off for a while. Abe, like Trump, may be poor at reading a teleprompter or even his painstakingly prepared answers to questions Japan reporters submit in advance, but he does seem to be able to read the writing on the wall.

It must come as a disappointment for Japan’s ruling coalition for the Olympics to be postponed, despite dedicated efforts to make Japan’s coronavirus problem appear to be under control by suppressing testing and effectively doing nothing at all to stop the spread.

Now that the July 2020 Olympic dream has evanesced, maybe Japan will begin serious testing for the coronavirus. As of March 2, Japan averaged 72 tests per million people; South Korea averaged 4,099 per million. Do the math. It’s not hard to see why Japan’s official number of infected citizens remains low.

The IOC in its official statement Tuesday did throw Abe a bone: “In a very friendly and constructive meeting, the two leaders praised the work of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and noted the great progress being made in Japan to fight against COVID-19.”

Yappari. Of course they would.

Tokyo Governor Koike, who has insisted time and time again that the Olympics must go on, was present at Tuesday night’s teleconference. On March 12, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that coronavirus was a pandemic, Koike spouted one of her classic soundbites. “It can’t be said that the announcement of a pandemic won’t have an impact [on the Olympics]....But I think cancellation is inconceivable.”

Apparently she is now able to conceive of it and reportedly worked frantically with Abe and Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo Organizing Committee, along with Japan’s Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto, to get the IOC to agree to a postponement rather than a cancellation.

Koike told reporters with some glee on Tuesday that the “Tokyo 2020 Olympics” would still be referred to under the name “Tokyo 2020 Olympics” even in 2021, such are the temporal displacements when a pandemic makes the world stand still. (Probably that saves on printing costs as well.)

Koike has been almost manic in her insistence that the Olympics would be held, come what may. At times she’s been reminiscent of the Iowa farmer in the movie Field Of Dreams who builds a baseball diamond in a cornfield after hearing a voice that insists, “If you build it, [they] will come.”

There is a historical element to the decision as well. Since the modern Olympics began in 1896, the games have never been postponed. In 1916, 1940, and 1944, because of the World Wars, they were simply canceled.

As noted, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been problematic from the beginning. Prime Minister Abe sealed the deal in 2013 by assuring the IOC that the fallout and radioactive pollution from the March 2011 Tokyo Electric Power Plant’s nuclear meltdown in Fukushima were not a problem, and that everything was “under control.” Lately, he has been saying the same thing about Japan’s coronavirus spread.

In recent years, it has become apparent that Japan lied in its proposal to the IOC when it claimed that July and August were optimum times for the games. After several summers of unprecedented high temperatures and over 100 deaths from heat-stroke, even the IOC grew concerned about the safety of the athletes playing in the Tokyo games.

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC IT WAS THE CLIMATE CRISISTokyo Is Boiling. Will It Be Too Hot for the 2020 Summer Olympics?

In October 2019, the IOC overruled its Japanese counterparts and unilaterally decided to move the marathon to Sapporo in Northern Japan, where temperatures are slightly cooler.

French prosecutors determined, moreover, that Japan won the Olympic bid by funneling over $2.3 million in bribes to individuals with influence in determining the Olympic venue. The president of Japan's Olympic Committee, Tsunekazu Takeda, was indicted in France on corruption allegations and resigned in disgrace in May last year.

Of course, officialdom conveniently forgot about the vice-chairman of Japan’s Olympic Committee whose alleged ties to the yakuza, Japan’s mafia, came back to haunt him until he quietly left the stage.

However, in terms of cost performance the $2 million in alleged bribes was a great bargain compared to the original budget proposed for the Olympics, $7.3 billion. And the actual spending related to the events is now estimated to reach $26 billion by the Board of Audit Japan.

It is yet unclear when next year the Olympics will take place. In the best of all possible worlds, now that Japan is out of the fire for a July/August summer Olympics, perhaps they can be scheduled for October. That was the Olympic month for Japan’s games in 1964 because Abe’s predecessors understood that summer sports in Japan can be deadly.

But considering how the government is handling the coronavirus, Japan might as well just scrap the expensive new Olympic stadium with its limited air-conditioning and hold the games on a giant frying pan.

Just ask Koike, who surely believes if you build the right frying pan, they will still come.

Nathalie-Kyoko Stucky contributed to this article.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

In a leaked memo, Hobby Lobby refuses to give workers paid sick leave during the coronavirus pandemic
Bethany Biron Mar 23, 2020,

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

In a memo to Hobby Lobby store managers obtained by Business Insider, the company's vice president of operations wrote that sick workers would be required to use personal paid time off and vacation pay or take an "unpaid leave of absence until further notice." 

In the case of a mandated store closure, Hobby Lobby will offer emergency pay only after paid time off and vacation days have been depleted, and then offer 75% of the regular rate of pay based on an average of shifts from the previous six weeks.

"The district manager has said that our stores will remain open until the National Guard comes in and physically shuts the buildings down," a Hobby Lobby manager told Business Insider. 

Hobby Lobby is not only fighting to keep stores open as the coronavirus spreads across the US but also refusing to give its employees immediate paid sick leave if they become ill.

In a memo sent to store managers on March 23 that was obtained by Business Insider, Randy Betts, Hobby Lobby's vice president of store operations, wrote that the company "is going to make every effort to continue working the employees." In cases of illness, Betts wrote that sick workers would be required to use personal paid time off and vacation pay or take an "unpaid leave of absence until further notice."

"Employees on unpaid leave are encouraged to contact their local unemployment offices to determine whether they are eligible for unemployment benefits," Betts wrote in the memo.

According to the memo, if a store is required to close because of a state or federal mandate, employees will first be required to use "all available paid time off benefits." After those resources are depleted, workers will be eligible for "emergency pay" that is 75% of their regular rate of pay, and the payments will be made not based on scheduled shifts, but rather "on the average hours during the previous six weeks."

A Hobby Lobby district manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect his job and whose employment status was confirmed by Business Insider, wrote in an email that he felt "very anxious about this whole situation."


"Our management has doubled down on the work stance, and the district manager has said that our stores will remain open until the National Guard comes in and physically shuts the buildings down," the employee wrote.

Hobby Lobby did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment on the memo. Additionally, when Business Insider called the number for the Hobby Lobby human-resources department listed in the memo as a contact for employees, an automated message said it was "experiencing abnormally large call volumes at this time" before the call went to voicemail.

Hobby Lobby drew widespread condemnation on Sunday because of a widely circulated tweet said to include a photo of a letter sent to store employees from Hobby Lobby's founder, David Green. Business Insider has not been able to verify its authenticity.

The letter in the photo said Green's wife, Barbara, received a message from God that informed his decision to leave stores open.

"In her quiet prayer time this past week, the Lord put on Barbara's heart three profound words to remind us that He's in control. Guide, Guard, and Groom," the letter said. "We serve a God who will Guide us through this storm, who will Guard us as we travel to places never seen before, and who, as a result of this experience, will Groom us to be better than we could have ever thought possible before now."


The letter said employees could "rest in knowing that God is in control" and that Hobby Lobby may have to "tighten our belts" moving forward.
Read the full memo to Hobby Lobby managers below:

To: All Store Managers

From: Randy Betts

Ref: Employee Leave Due to Covid-19

Date: March 23, 2020


Our job has always involved taking care of our people. With the COVID-19 situation evolving very second, we need to take time to review how our current Leave Policies, PPTO benefits or Vacation will help take care of our employees during this time. In addition, the company has outlined additional provisions that we will refer to as Emergency Pay.

This memo outlines the Company's policy, effective March 23, 2020, relating to employees placed on leave because of COVID-19-related reasons. This policy remains effective until further notice.

Store Closing

Once a store is closed to the public by order of federal, state, or local authorities, the Company is going to make every effort to continue working the employees, if the employee is allowed to travel to/from work. If it is necessary for the Company to place employees on leave because the store is subject to mandatory closing, after exhausting all available paid time-off benefits (e.g., Vacation Pay, Personal Time Off, Personal/Sick Pay), will be eligible for emergency pay continuation.

Emergency Pay will be made available for all full-time and part-time employees placed on leave because the store is subject to a mandatory closing. These employees will receive 75% of their regular rate of pay for two weeks following the exhaustion of all available paid time off benefits. The rate of pay for all part-time and full-time employees will be based on the average hours during the previous six weeks. The use of paid time-off benefits in conjunction with the emergency pay continuation provided by this policy must be used in 8-hour increments.


Employees unable to work due to specific related reasons to the Covid-19 event

Below is a brief outline of when to request PPTO or Vacation to use for continued pay, we have an unpaid leave of absence we can offer as well. These options can be used when the employee has a positive test result for Covid-19, suspected illness to Covid-19 and/or other approved personal reasons to request leave under our current polices [sic].
Use Personal Paid Time Off (PPTO)
Use Vacation Pay; or
Unpaid leave of absence until further notice.

Employees on unpaid leave are encouraged to contact their local unemployment offices to determine whether they are eligible for unemployment benefits.

This program does not modify or impact the Company's existing paid-time off policies. This is in addition to those policies. Pay continuation under this program is not an earned wage under any applicable law and will not be used for purposes of calculating overtime. Any unused pay continuation under this program will expire immediately upon the Company's termination of the program. Employees will not be paid for an unused pay continuation under this program on termination. Employees do not accrue or earn any vested benefit under this Program.


Management will be provided with guidance to determine whether to direct employees to contact Human Resources to request time off, a leave of absence, or an accommodation related to COVID-19. Management is still required to promptly report all COVID-19-related incidents and potential exposures to Human Resources at (405) 745-1515. Specifically, contact Human Resources in the following circumstances:
If an employee or customer reports that he/she has been diagnosed with COVID-19;
If an employee reports a member of his/her household has been diagnosed with or may have been exposed to COVID-19;
If an employee reports he/she or a member of his/her household recently had cruise travel or traveled to an area with widespread sustained (ongoing) transmission of COVID-19, which currently includes China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Green, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland;
If an employee has or reports that he/she has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, which CDC advises are fever, cough, and shortness of breath;
If an employee's answers to the screening questions indicate that the employee should request time off, a leave of absence, or an accommodation related to COVID-19.

If circumstances require a change to this policy, you will be notified promptly. Thank you for your service to the Company, especially during this challenging time.

Randy Betts

In leaked memo, Michaels executives refuse to close stores and tell employees they must be 'here for the makers' amid the coronavirus
Bethany Biron 3/24/2020

Michaels is staying open amid the coronavirus outbreak. 

Business Insider/Jessica Tyler

In a memo sent to Michaels employees and obtained by Business Insider, Michaels executives wrote that the craft store will stay open as an "essential" business that is "here for the makers." 

Though a Michaels spokesperson said the craft store has temporarily closed in select states with strict mandates like New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, among others, the chain still has hundreds of open stores across the country. 

"I am asked on a daily basis by customers why we are still open," a Michaels manager speaking on the condition of anonymity told Business Insider. "We ask ourselves the same thing. We clearly aren't important to our CEO. He is putting his hardworking employees and customers are risk. "

As retailers around the country close their doors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Michaels is remaining open by claiming the craft store is an "essential" business that is "here for the makers."

In a memo sent to Michaels employees on March 19 and obtained by Business Insider, outgoing CEO Mark Cosby and incoming CEO Ashley Buchanan wrote that stores will stay open and deemed its employees "an essential workforce" during the pandemic The executives wrote its stores are "fundamental" to serving business owners, teachers, parents, and communities "looking to take their minds off a stressful reality."

"Please know that even though our doors remain open, we understand that you may not be comfortable coming into the stores," they wrote, though did not state whether the company would offer sick pay or benefits in the case of illness.

Though the definition of essential versus nonessential varies depending on state, craft stores are not on the list of businesses universally considered to be essential, nor are they included in a guidance issued by the Department of Homeland Security.

According to a spokesperson, Michaels has temporarily closed stores in the states of California, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as select locations in Canada and in the cities of Miami and Fort Worth. Each of these locations has issued strict mandates regarding the closure of nonessential businesses or implemented safety precautions like "shelter-in-place" mandates.

Still, this leaves hundreds of Michaels stores remaining in operation across the US. It also comes in tandem with competitor Hobby Lobby also continuing to remain open, after executives at Hobby Lobby sent a memo to managers stating they would "make every effort to continue working the employee."

In the Michaels memo, the executives appear to further justify the company's decision to stay open due to its status as a UPS Access Point, writing that stores serve as "key shipping services to the public and are considered a reliable alternative to other shipping companies and locations."

However, UPS said on its website that many of its standalone pickup and drop off locations like the UPS Store will remain open and acknowledged that "some businesses that serve as UPS Access Point locations are closing or adjusting their operations due to the coronavirus."

In response to request to comment on the decision to remain open, the Michaels spokesperson reiterated the company's partnership with UPS and said the stores will continue to make an effort "to support and remain a lifeline for the teachers, parents and small businesses."

"For the stores that remain open, we are sanitizing heavily trafficked and hard surfaces frequently and encouraging social distancing," the spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider. "We strongly encourage our Team Members that are not comfortable working in our stores or facilities to speak to their managers about their options."

However, a Michaels manager in the Midwest — who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect her job and whose employment status was confirmed by Business Insider — said employees at her store have not been provided with adequate protections like hand sanitizer and that cleaning supplies "are scarce."

"I am asked on a daily basis by customers why we are still open," she told Business Insider in an email. "We ask ourselves the same thing. We clearly aren't important to our CEO. He is putting his hardworking employees and customers are risk. "

The employee said many of her colleagues skew older and some have underlying health conditions that make them especially vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus, but they continue to work out of fear of losing their jobs.

"I am so worried for my coworkers," she said. "If I get sick I will likely recover without incident. My coworkers and other vulnerable people could die. We are expendable. Just a means to make money."
Read the full memo, below:

Michaels Memo


A Letter from Mark and Ashley: 03.19.2020

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has placed the U.S. and the world in an unprecedented situation. As the country's largest arts and crafts retailer, we are here for the makers.
The small business owners that rely on us for their online and storefront business needs.
The teachers and parents that rely on our products to reach classes virtually, in the home or other locales.
The communities looking to take their minds off a stressful reality, even if temporarily.

Our stores are designated UPS access points, which means we provide key shipping services to the public and are considered a reliable alternative to other shipping companies and locations.

The products we sell, the services we provide and the businesses we support make us an essential workforce and are fundamental in our decision to remain open.

Our leadership team strives to make decisions that balance the safety of our Team Members with our commitments to our customers and communities. We will continue to follow all CDC and government guidelines and will make business changes when needed.

Please know that even though our doors remain open, we understand that you may not be comfortable coming into the stores. If that's the case, we encourage you to talk to your Store Manager about your concerns and your options. For any other questions, please call Team Member Services at 855-432-6543 (MIKE) option 2.

For those who continue to work, we have provided guidelines and detailed and updated information to all Stores Managers and District Managers on how to keep yourselves and our customers healthy and safe. This information can be found in your break rooms or back offices.

Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for Michaels.

Take care of yourself and each other.

Mark and Ashley

Amazon sent guests of its canceled robotics conference $600 Moncler jackets, even as its army of warehouse workers have been fighting for better conditions amid the virus outbreak
Eugene Kim Mar 23, 2020

Jeff Bezos at a previous MARS conference. Jeff Bezos/Twitter

Amazon last week sent Moncler jackets that cost $600 per unit to VIP guests of a private event called MARS after canceling it because of the coronavirus.

MARS is separate from re:MARS, the robotics event that's open to the public.

Amazon's spokesperson said the gifts were purchased well in advance of MARS's cancellation and meant to be given to the guests anyway, as event attendees receive a gift bag of several items every year.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was not personally involved in the decision to send the gift to MARS guests, the spokesperson said.

The gift is unusually generous for Amazon, a company known for its frugal work culture.
It's also a reminder of the two-class system — high-paid knowledge workers and low-wage blue-collar workers — that Amazon's business is built upon.

Amazon warehouse workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis won a long-fought battle this month when the company agreed to provide some of them with paid time off.

Around the same time, another group of people connected to Amazon received an unexpected surprise in the mail: a stylish winter jacket from Moncler, a French luxury-ski-wear brand known for jackets with price tags that can reach thousands of dollars.

The jackets were sent to VIP guests of a private Amazon event called MARS, which is short for machine learning, home automation, robotics, and space exploration, Business Insider has learned. MARS is an invitation-only event that started in 2016, at which CEO Jeff Bezos mingles with some of the most high-profile leaders in the robotics and space industries.

"As we'll miss seeing you in person this year, sending our warmest regards. Be well! MARS 2020 Team," Amazon's team wrote in a note for the gift.

MARS, which was scheduled to take place from March 15 to 18, was canceled a few weeks ago because of the coronavirus outbreak.

An Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider that the jackets were purchased well in advance of the event's cancellation, as they were supposed to be given as part of the event's gift bags that go to all MARS guests every year. Bezos was not involved in the decision to send the jackets, which were customized with a MARS logo and, according to Amazon, cost $600 each.

A Moncler winter jacket (not the one that Amazon gave away as gifts). Moncler.com

The jackets were shipped on March 18 — two days after Amazon announced it was temporarily raising hourly wages for warehouse and delivery workers by $2, according to the spokesperson.

At a time when Amazon's warehouse workers are in the spotlight for working long, grueling hours in conditions some say are unsafe, the Moncler jackets are a salient example of the two-class system that underpins Amazon's business empire, as well as much of today's so-called gig economy. That divide — between well-compensated "knowledge workers" and low-wage blue-collar workers — is likely to come into starker relief as the coronavirus threat sends one group to work in the shelter of their homes while the other continues to report to the workplace. 

Not your average swag

To be sure, Amazon is hardly unique in giving away special gifts to VIPs and business partners. From sports-stadium box seats to branded fleece vests, giveaways are standard practice in the corporate world. Still, the Moncler jackets are a cut above the average swag and seem like an unusually generous act of giving for Amazon, a company known for its frugal work culture.

Amazon announced the temporary raise for warehouse and delivery workers last week only after calls for better pay grew and workloads increased amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, it also rolled out paid time off across all warehouses after months of pressure from its employees, according to BuzzFeed News. Some of Amazon's warehouses failed to install air conditioners in the past until a local news investigation found workers had been falling ill.

Meanwhile, sellers that account for more than half the products sold on Amazon's marketplace often complain about the lack of communication and clarity in policy changes. After the company announced last week that it would block new shipments of nonessential products to its warehouses, sellers have expressed confusion about what products are still accepted. Even in Bezos' letter to employees on Saturday, his first public response to the coronavirus pandemic, there was no mention of the sellers.

The jackets appear to have shipped relatively quickly, despite the supply-chain issues and shipment delays Amazon is experiencing because of the coronavirus. That may be because Amazon didn't ship them out of their own warehouses. One person who received the Moncler jacket told Business Insider that the gift didn't arrive in an Amazon box.

How China, the US, and Europe are using robots to replace and help humans fight coronavirus by delivering groceries, sanitizing hospitals, and monitoring patients
Mary Meisenzahl 3/24/2020

Robots distributing hand sanitizer and face masks. REUTERS/Sivaram V

The coronavirus outbreak that originated in China has killed more than 17,000 people worldwide and infected more than 398,000, according to recent totals.
The virus, which causes a disease known as COVID-19, has spread to 169 countries, and the majority of infections and deaths are now outside of China.
As the outbreak spreads, robots are being used to disinfect, take temperatures, and even prepare food.

Around the world, robots are being used to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, by taking on cleaning and food preparation jobs that are considered dangerous for humans.

The worldwide death toll of the coronavirus disease that originated in Wuhan, China, is now more than 17,000, and the virus has infected more than 398,000 people. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared it a pandemic. The virus has disrupted travel worldwide, leading to flight cancellations, quarantines, and other breakdowns in movement and supply chains.

Take a look at some of the clever ways robots are used around the world to slow the spread of the coronavirus and help healthcare workers.

In Wuhan, where the outbreak started, a robot spraying disinfectant moves through a residential area of the city.

Sanitizing robots. China OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Volunteers refilled the robot with disinfectant on March 3.

Sanitizing robots. China OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images


Workers on scooters control the robot.

Sanitizing robots. REUTERS

A patrol robot in a Shenyang, China, hospital checks temperatures and disinfects people and spaces.

Temperature monitor robot. Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images


These robots are used at hospitals to cut down on demands on medical staff.

Temperature monitor robot. Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

Hangzhou, China, is yet another city using robots to disinfect large areas.

Sanitizing robots. Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images


They're controlled via remote control, and can be seen getting refilled here.

Sanitizing robots. Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

Hangzhou's disinfecting robots look notably different from those in Wuhan and Shenyang, resembling miniature tanks.

Sanitizing robots. Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images


Another robot disinfectant in Luoyang is remote-controlled and able to climb stairs.

Sanitizing robots. REUTERS

Anhui, China has a fleet of disinfecting robots ready to start working.

Sanitizing robots. Photo by TPG/Getty Images


This hand sanitizer-dispensing robot was photographed in Shanghai on March 4.

Sanitizing robots. REUTERS

On March 11, robots in the Hunan province in China conduct morning temperature checks.

Temperature monitor robot. Xinhua/Chen Zeguo via Getty Images


Engineers have also modified the robots to record data, give feedback, and even disinfect people's hands.

Temperature monitor robot. Xinhua/Chen Zeguo via Getty Images

Immediate feedback can make the containment process faster and more efficient.

Temperature monitor robot. Xinhua/Chen Zeguo via Getty Images


Robots are being used for more than just disinfecting areas with coronavirus. A hospital in Ezhou has incorporated a robot chef into its kitchen.

Food prep robot. Photo by Shi Xiaojie/China News Service via Getty Images

The robot can reportedly produce 100 pots of rice per hour.

Food prep robot. Photo by Shi Xiaojie/China News Service via Getty Images


The robot operates without human supervision, which minimizes the number of people in the hospital exposed to the virus.

Food prep robot. Photo by Shi Xiaojie/China News Service via Getty Images

Sharing food presents an opportunity to spread the virus, so some cities have been incorporating robots in food service and preparation.

Food prep robot. Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images


This robot delivered food to diners in Hangzhou.

Food prep robot. Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Beijing-based Zhen Robotics says that its yellow robots are in demand to deliver groceries and patrol malls for people not wearing face masks.

Delivery robot. Photo by Simon Song/South China Morning Post via Getty Images


Engineering students at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok modified medical "ninja robots" designed for stroke patients to make them useful with patients who have COVID-19.

Thai ninja robot. Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

The robots can take patients' temperatures and protect the safety of healthcare workers by reducing interactions with sick people.

Thai ninja robot. Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images


They also have a screen, allowing doctors to video chat with sick patients.

Thai ninja robot. Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images

Postmates delivery robots deliver food in Los Angeles.

Postmates delivery robot. Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images


Los Angeles is one of many US cities that closed all non-essential businesses due to COVID-19, and restaurants are allowed to stay open only for takeout and delivery.

Postmates delivery robot. AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

A hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa is using a UV light robot to disinfect the facility.

Sanitizing robot. Photo by MICHELE SPATARI/AFP via Getty Images


The hospital is using UV light instead of hydrogen peroxide, because it cuts cleaning time down from hours to five or ten minutes.

Sanitizing robot. Photo by MICHELE SPATARI/AFP via Getty Images

UV light also poses less danger to healthcare workers than hydrogen peroxide.

Sanitizing robot. Photo by MICHELE SPATARI/AFP via Getty Images


Startup Asimov Robotics launched two robots to spread awareness of the coronavirus in India.

Robots distributing hand sanitizer and face masks. REUTERS/Sivaram V

They distribute face masks and hand sanitizer...

Robots distributing hand sanitizer and face masks. REUTERS/Sivaram V


...along with information about preventing the virus.

Robots distributing hand sanitizer and face masks. REUTERS/Sivaram V

A self-driving Starship robot drops off deliveries in Emerson Valley, Britain.

Delivery robot. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers


The robot goes right to people's door, eliminating the need for contact between people.

Delivery robot. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers

Belgian company ZoraBots made a robot designed for elderly people to communicate with loved ones from the safety of their own homes.

Video call robot. REUTERS/Yves Herman


The robot has video and audio so people can still talk while sheltering at home, keeping the most vulnerable people socially connected.

Video call robot. REUTERS/Yves Herman