Associated Industries of Massachusetts said today that Governor Charlie Baker’s four-phase plan marks an encouraging first step to re-opening state economy in a safe and efficient manner. The first phase of the four-stage re-opening plan will allow manufacturing and construction companies, along with houses of worship, to resume operations under a strict set of safety […]
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The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. That’s what Massachusetts employers can expect today as Governor Charlie Baker announces details of a four-stage re-opening plan designed to allow the economy to get back up and running after the COVID-19 shutdown. The Baker Administration has been circumspect about what the governor will […]
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Bruce Platzman is not one to sit back in a crisis. In 2001, the CEO of office-furniture manufacturer AIS in Leominster ramped up to make hundreds of workstations for the Pentagon in the days following 9/11. Now, Platzman and his team at AIS are thinking big to address the persistent shortage of personal protective equipment […]
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Governor Charlie Baker said today that Massachusetts will re-open its economy in four phases beginning on May 18 as long as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations continue to trend in a positive direction. The four phases – called Start, Cautious, Vigilant and the New Normal – are designed to methodically allow certain businesses, services, and activities […]
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Longtime AIM member Pfizer Inc. announced yesterday that it has begun human clinical trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine that could be available in October and would be made at the company’s facility in Andover. The company says the accelerated trials of its BNT162 vaccine should allow production of millions of vaccine doses in 2020, […]
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Confidence among Massachusetts employers continued to erode during April as the commonwealth became a hotspot for COVID-19 and Governor Baker extended the closing of non-essential businesses until mid-May. The Associated Industries of Massachusetts Business Confidence Index fell 1.8 points after suffering its largest monthly decline ever during March. The Index ended April at 38.4, nearly […]
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The Paycheck Protection Program, enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), is an extension of the Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) loan program, allowing financial institutions to provide federally backed, forgivable loans to eligible businesses. The Paycheck Protection Program and loan forgiveness are intended to provide economic relief to small […]
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The Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development (EOLWD) announced that claimants were able to file for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) beginning at 8:30 am today. PUA claimants can apply here. The PUA is a program open to the following individuals: Self-employed individuals, including “gig” workers, freelancers, and independent contractors Those seeking part-time employment Claimants […]
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Tariff relief continues to be a priority for many US companies. Supply chain disruptions are deepening. Containers sit empty, idle or both at ports around the world. Export restrictions are embraced—temporarily? And the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and WorldBank share profound concerns about the global economy. Tariff Relief—With US companies fighting for survival and conserving […]
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An expected surge of unemployment insurance applications from independent contractors poses a significant legal threat to employers in Massachusetts and elsewhere. The federal CARES Act extends pandemic unemployment insurance benefits for the first time to independent contractors whose work has ceased or been substantially reduced by COVID-19. The problem, according to experts, is that many […]
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